After months of planning by a small team of volunteers the 2014 Alderley Edge May Fair is now only days away and promises to be another fantastic day for everyone.
Celebrations kick-off on the Friday evening this year with a fun bowling competition in the park starting at 5.30pm, a fun run at 7pm and entertainment on the Golden Triangle Stage running from 8pm through to 10pm. Entrance is free and a hog roast and bar will be available to keep you refreshed.
Organiser Christine Munro said "We think that the Alderley Edge May Fair Committee is pulling out all the stops this year to provide an amazing day for all the community. To get the day off to a fantastic start we will have two bands playing in the village from 10.30am and the entertainment on the Park will start at 10.30am too."
The parade leaves Chorley Hall Lane Playing Fields at 11am, marching down London Road to end in the park. Our May Queen, Lucy Peers, and her princesses, Tess and Maggie, will travel in the parade in a horse drawn carriage.
Look out for the Wizard, courtesy of CHYPS with his white horse, who will be leading local children dressed in fancy dress - this year's theme is Magic and Wizards and children can enter on the day. Judging takes place at 12 noon, children just need to make their way to the tennis court after the parade to book in.
The parade will also feature stilt walkers, clowns, samba dancers, local children dancing, the Manchester Pheonix Pipe Band and a Thomas the Tank Engine train will be offering lifts to children along the way.
On arrival at the park our May Queen will announce the Alderley Edge May Fair 2014 open and then the fun will really begin with entertainment provided throughout the afternoon in the two arenas.
Following the Fancy Dress Competition at 12 noon, the Town Crier Competition organised by John Parsons, the Nantwich Town Crier, begins at 1pm. Entry is open to everyone and you can enter on the day. The Fun Dog Show, with classes including Cutest Puppy, Best Veteran, Waggiest Tail, Best Rescue and Most Appealing Eyes, starts at 2pm. Again entries will be taken on the day.
New for this year are some Go Karts which are great fun for everyone and some lovely ponies for the children to brush and pamper. Special attractions will also be Cuerden Birds of Prey who are bringing their Golden Eagle, a Ferret Roadshow, a circus workshop, a mocktail tent where the children can learn to make their own special drinks and Schola Foris from Macclesfield will be showing children how to twist willow and whittle wood.
Towards the end of the afternoon, Sam Etchells and his team from the Bosley Tug of War team will be doing their best to teach us all to have a go, and if it is anything like last year this will be one of the greatest attraction of the day.
Entrance to the Alderley Edge May Fair is free, but in order to raise essential funds to help finance next year's event raffle tickets will be on sale at the Friday evening event in the park and on Saturday during the May Fair. You can also purchase them in advance from The Bubble Room and Wienholts.
The tickets cost £1 each and there are some fantastic prizes which have been generously donated by local businesses - including an overnight stay at Mottram Hall Hotel with dinner, breakfast and a bottle of Prosecco, an iPad Mini and a Manchester United signed shirt. The raffle will be drawn around 4pm on Saturday 17th May and the prizes will be on display on the park.
The car park on Ryleys Lane will be closed all day Saturday but free parking is being provided on the Chorley Hall Lane playing field, which will be open and marshalled from 8am when stallholders arrive.
Chorley Hall Lane, London Road and Ryleys Lane will be closed from 10.45am to 12pm on Saturday 17th May for the parade, so drivers are warned to expect delays.
We hope everyone has a brilliant day and fingers crossed that the sun will shine.
