Sambourne Village
Sambourne MiniFest
Sambourne MiniFest was first staged in 2007. It
is usually held in June and coincides with the fund-raising fete
which is held in the Church Hall.
The police kindly help by loaning a variety of warning signs to slow passing vehicles.
Leaflets are distributed throughout the village so everyone knows the program of events. . Tickets for Saturday's evening entertainment - a band and food in The Green Dragon - are sold in advance.
The format of the MiniFest changes from year to year. One of the ever popular competitions is the pig racing in the pub.
Preparations for the day start early and are carried out by a band of volunteers. Awnings, canopies and stalls are erected.
Activities are held in the field next to the Church Hall, kindly provided by a local landowner, and the area around The Green Dragon.
Together these host a variety of attractions:pony rides, archery, sponge throwing,
face painting, displays of vintage tools and
implements, old vehicles including tractors,
lorries and vans.
The area around the village green hosts a fine selection of vintage cars and motor cycles. Steam engines park up on the road in front of The Green Dragon.
There are several competitions: for example, photography,stone painting, unusual vegetables and even the Sambourne equivalent of the Turner Prize.
This was awarded in 2010 to an Archer-Ward collaboration depicting a framed jar of marmalade
Things get into full swing early in the afternoon and continue until early evening when The Green Dragon becomes the centre of activity. Excellent evening meals, ordered in advance, are served and a band entertains the throngs.
In 2010 the area suffered a power outage - not caused by the band's PA system - and what could have been a disaster was averted by a hastily provided mobile generator. The evening then proceeded.
The other highlight of 2010 was the selection of the Sambourne drag queen. A hotly contested competition.
The final events take place on the next day - crazy golf and a treasure hunt. The golf attracts a wide age range and prizes are awarded to several groups. The holes are provided in various residents' gardens and there is a stiff competition to be a host. Each stage usually includes refreshments provided by the hosts.
The police kindly help by loaning a variety of warning signs to slow passing vehicles.
Leaflets are distributed throughout the village so everyone knows the program of events. . Tickets for Saturday's evening entertainment - a band and food in The Green Dragon - are sold in advance.
The format of the MiniFest changes from year to year. One of the ever popular competitions is the pig racing in the pub.
Preparations for the day start early and are carried out by a band of volunteers. Awnings, canopies and stalls are erected.
Activities are held in the field next to the Church Hall, kindly provided by a local landowner, and the area around The Green Dragon.
Together these host a variety of attractions:pony rides, archery, sponge throwing,
face painting, displays of vintage tools and
implements, old vehicles including tractors,
lorries and vans.
The area around the village green hosts a fine selection of vintage cars and motor cycles. Steam engines park up on the road in front of The Green Dragon.
There are several competitions: for example, photography,stone painting, unusual vegetables and even the Sambourne equivalent of the Turner Prize.
This was awarded in 2010 to an Archer-Ward collaboration depicting a framed jar of marmalade
Things get into full swing early in the afternoon and continue until early evening when The Green Dragon becomes the centre of activity. Excellent evening meals, ordered in advance, are served and a band entertains the throngs.
In 2010 the area suffered a power outage - not caused by the band's PA system - and what could have been a disaster was averted by a hastily provided mobile generator. The evening then proceeded.
The other highlight of 2010 was the selection of the Sambourne drag queen. A hotly contested competition.
The final events take place on the next day - crazy golf and a treasure hunt. The golf attracts a wide age range and prizes are awarded to several groups. The holes are provided in various residents' gardens and there is a stiff competition to be a host. Each stage usually includes refreshments provided by the hosts.