The 2007 Village Feast
THE FEAST always seems to begin with just a bit of uncertainty. Will it rain? - yes it will - no it won't - yes it will - no it won't - yes it will. With faith and a certain amount of defiance the stalls were set out, they were covered, and then uncovered, the rain stopped, the gates opened, there was a brief threatening light shower, and then it was fine.
One attraction of our Feast is that it is a small village event in stark contrast to the now rather magnificent and slightly overwhelming Reach Fair. The Feast is just simple fun. Like the "bun on a string"competition. And it was full of little amusing incidents. One I especially liked concerned the young girl who, when the bric a brac was being sold off, came up with her 20p and purchased an item. Five minutes later she returned and exchanged it for something else, and she proceeded to do this another three times before returning the last object and asking for her money back - which she got.
The School's May Pole dancing was outstanding, the Scouts gave us lessons on map co-ordinates, and all the stalls were busy busy busy. The afternoon ended with the usual egg throwing competition and the event was wide open with the champion pair being absent. There was no outright winner this year but Simon Jeacock must be commended for making three superb one handed catches in a row, with one being behind him only inches from the ground. No longer will Dominic and Paul have it their own way - if they dare to turn up next year.
A big thank you to all who made donations, to those who looked after the stalls, and to all those who came and supported the Feast. Nearly £850 was made for the Village Hall funds.
A Feast or Literary Postscript
AS THE YEAR of the paunch begins to arrive those who were once lean are inevitably drawn to a book entitled Flatten Your Stomach.
And so it happened when one visitor to the Feast selected it from the Bookstall. He opened it, only to become horrified and panicky as he came face to face with pictures like these.
He hurriedly put it down and wandered off in a daze.