An Outline History of Stanford in the Vale
Browse Chapters: Introduction Prehistory Romano-British Anglo-Saxon	Domesday Stanford Medieval Stanford Reformation and Tudor Stanford Civil War Stanford Early Modern Stanford	19th Century Stanford The First World War The Inter-War Years The Second World War Post-War Stanford
Church and Chapel Schools and Libraries Civic Administration Newsletters	Health and Social Services, and Young People Village Halls Fairs, Festivals and Fetes	Clubs and Societies Businesses Acknowledgements & Further Reading
Additional articles: BBC Domesday 1986	Church Green Fire 2005 Coat Of Arms	Virtual Tour 2003

Fairs, Festivals and Fetes

The St. Denys'/Stanford in the Vale Summer Festival evolved its current 2-day format in 1980-83 (being the Midsummer Fayre in 1981-82, organised by Rosemary Packer), and since 1983 has been organised by the St. Denys' church Social Committee chaired by Janet Warren. Earlier, there had been a 2-day festival in 1969-71, and again in 1976, but generally the l-day St. Denys' Fete in the vicarage garden was the more usual event. A 3-day Stanford Folk Festival, organized by Dave & Kate Guest, occurred annually from 1986 to 1995.

1969 Festival of Music and Arts Leaflet
(click for larger images)

A May Fayre was held by the Stanford youth Club in 1972 on the Village Green, and again in 1973-74; a May Fayre was held in the school playing field in 1979, and since then has been a more or less annual event, now being run by the School Association.

A Medieval Fayre was held on 7 July 1979 to raise money for the proposed community centre, just one of a number of fund-raising events for the new village hall (which also included horticultural shows, 'supersports', bird shows, barn dances, paper collections, coffee parties, etc.). A Christmas Bazaar/Fair (to raise money for St. Denys' Church) has been held in the school annually since at least 1969. The Football Club has held an Annual Fete, initially together with a Rummage Sale, since 1966.

Horticultural shows have a long association with the village. The Stanford Horticultural Society held its annual show in George Lee's field behind Cox's Hall in July 1898, and the Stanford in the Vale & District Horticultural Society is known to have held its annual show on 7 August 1913; before that, the Ancient Order of Foresters held an annual Foresters' Fete and Flowershow, in 1893 at Manor Farm.

After the Second World War, the British Legion & Working Men's Club held a 1-day Flower Show at Cox's Hall, including part of what is now Cox's Court, to which the Rabbit Club was also invited to show its pedigree rabbits. Other flower shows were held at Rectory House Field, with a gymkhana, and in the Methodist Chapel.

More recently, the Horticultural Show has been presented annually by the Village Hall Management Committee in the village hall for its funds. An Annual Coffee Morning, organised by Joan Fahy, has been held by residents of Cox's Court since about 1989 for raising money for different charities. A 'snail trail' around village gardens has been held a number of times in the last 5 years or so to raise money for village hall funds.