Winsham Street Fair 2026








WINSHAM STREET FAIR- 2026

Our grateful thanks go to the previous Street Fair Committee for their hard work fundraising to put on the

 successful 2024 Street Fair in June.

Following the AGM on 19th September, a new Committee was formed:

Chair                                  Harriet Dougherty

Vice Chair                          Alison Llewellyn

Treasurer                           Paul Anderson

Secretary                           Kathy Everard 

Caroline Buckley, Jenny Clampett, Rosie Clampett, Gordon Judge, John Llewellyn, Jayne Smith, Sarah MacEvansonya and Hefina Washbourne were all elected at the AGM to join the committee.

Anyone is welcome to attend our monthly meetings, please contact any of the Committee members above for the dates or contact us on our Facebook page.

At our first meeting, a decision was made to postpone the Race Night scheduled for 16th November until next year.

The Committee also made the decision to not to proceed with the Calendar fundraiser.  Unfortunately, sales have fallen over the last two years with fewer people having paper calendars.  As there is insufficient sponsorship at this stage it has been deemed an unprofitable fundraiser.  This has been a difficult decision as we know there are several people who do use it and enjoy the pictures of Winsham parish.

 CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING – Sunday 1st December 

The celebration of the lighting of the Winsham Christmas Tree is long established. This picture was taken in 2016. 

The Street Fair Committee is hosting the Christmas Tree lighting at 6.00 pm on Sunday 1 st December.

The tree has once again been kindly donated by Forde Abbey.  Our thanks to Stephen Corrick, owner of The George, outside which the tree will stand for 5 weeks. This is an exciting, happy and convivial event, bringing all four corners of the village together.

Everyone in the village and surrounding areas is warmly invited to come along and witness the lighting, sing some Carols accompanied by the Chard Brass Band who generously donate their time for free, and partake in warm mince pies and mulled wine.  The Bell Inn will be serving turkey rolls after the lighting and carols.

We have the Jubilee Hall booked,  just in case of bad weather.  Plenty of marshals will be in place to ensure your safety.   Back Street residents – please bear with us for a couple of hours on this evening event, there will be no access through to Church Street.

If anyone can make mince pies for the evening we would be extremely grateful.

 SANTA’S GROTTO

We have contacted Father Christmas and are pleased to confirm that he will be visiting us in the Jubilee Hall on the afternoon of 1 st December.  Look out for posters around the village, and of course the Winsham e-letter, for further details.

Caroline Buckley-Committee Member 










The 2024 Winsham Street Fair is a big success!
A message from the organising committee......

The committee of this years Street Fair are delighted to announce that due to the generosity of both you Winsham locals and the many visitors to our biennial event we have raised £893.00 for our two charities,

Winsham United Charities who help young people from Winsham with funds for books, equipment and travel for college and university and Axe Vale River Association who working in conjunction with Magdalen Farm look after the river in our catchment area.

We had fabulous donations of raffle prizes and the ticket sales made £400.00.

The tombola stall was very popular and sold out by 2pm, more than 80 bottle were kindly given by many of you, the stall made £120.00.

The cake bakers amongst you provided the most delicious assortment of cakes, the stall made £373.00

Thank you to all who made this day such fun, the whole village was represented, School, Church, Shop, Hall, Club, Horticulture Club, Arts Club, Pub and with beautiful stalls selling crafts, plants, clothing and toys a good time was had by all.

We have secured permission and paid for closing the street in 2026 at the same time as we applied for this years closure, two for the price of one and a great saving! This is a terrific help with funding our next fair. Our next fund raiser will be the village calendar for 2025 and we hope to get your photos very soon, entry open to all, the theme of “The Elements”.

Winsham Street Fair Organising Committee-25th June 2024

The first Street Fair of the modern era was held in 1985 with the theme of the 'Pitch Fork Rebellion'. The latest, held on 22nd June 2024 had 'The Elements' as a theme.
Many of Winsham's major organisations and resources gathered together to make the event well attended and very successful. A brief 'photo summary' is shown below. A much fuller account with many more pictures will appear on the Winsham Web Museum, accessed from the 'Winsham at Play' area, located on the Museum's Home Page.

The above pictures were taken by Tony Parfoot, in Church Street.
The picture below was taken from the top of St. Stephen's tower by David Vickers
And the Street Fair Committee sent this picture......and not a 'Hell's Angel' in sight!

More pictures recording the event will be added to the Winsham Web Museum over the next few weeks.

Winsham’s Street Fair has its roots in the 13th century, and even now, seven hundred and  sixty-one years later, Winsham’s 21st Century residents still know that this biennial  celebration is a good day out!

When Athelm , the Bishop of Bath and Wells, awarded the charter, in1262,  to hold an annual

 street fair in Winsham on the 29th June, on the Feast of St. Peter & Paul, did he know what he

 was what he was starting?  

He was later to  become the Archbishop of Canterbury; just a coincidence or was it his reward?

In the 21st Century, we have Winsham Street Fair  celebrated on the last Saturday of June, every

two years.

The  present cycle of Winsham Street Fairs started in 1985, with a theme based on the two

 hundred year’s anniversary of  the Duke of Monmouth’s ‘Pitchfork’ rebellion.  

Each Winsham Street Fair has a different theme.

 

 

To view pictures of the seventeen Winsham Street Fairs since1985
CLICK HERE