Ilkeston - The 773rd Anniversary
w/e 19 October 2024
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Nikon D3300
I've always thought it odd
when heats are held prior to the official opening of major events
like the Olympic Games but the same can be said about Ilkeston's
annual Charter Fair. Although the original Charter states that
the Fair opens on "the first Thursday after the first Sunday
after the 11th of October", for a number of years now the
Fair has opened on the previous Wednesday evening.
The same was true this year as civic dignitaries, invited guests
and the general pubic gathered outside the Town Hall to hear
Erewash Borough Council's Chief Executive, Jeremy Jaroszek, read
the Charter, the wording of which had to be slightly altered
to accommodate the fact that the duration of the Fair has been
extended to include an extra day, the following Sunday. A welcoming
speech was given by the Mayor of Erewash Councillor Harry Atkinson.
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The Mayor was then assisted in ringing the ceremonial bells to
open the Fair by seven year old Freddie, who had designed the
winning cover of the official programme.
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As is the custom the civic party then moved on to sample some
of the rides in the Market Place. First stop was the Gallopers
where the Mayor, merrily waving his hat, was joined by representatives
of other local authorities, the Member of Parliament for Erewash,
local councillors and the High Sheriff of Derbyshire, Sir Richard
FitzHerbert.
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They then moved on to the Dodgems as the traditional free rides
continued to mark the opening.
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The general public could also enjoy a free ride to mark the opening
of the Fair and a lovely couple we had met whilst standing outside
the Town Hall, brother and sister Kyran and Laura, thoroughly
enjoyed theirs on the Waltzer.
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We returned to the Fair on Thursday evening where the bright
lights like these on South Street lit up the town centre.
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The rides and stalls extend from the Market Place to all the
surrounding streets and car parks like tentacles on an octopus.
This was Wharncliffe Road.
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All the old favourites could be found like the Fun House,
Big Wheel and Cake Walk although I did notice that some were
absent this year but some new ones had taken their place.
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The Magic Mouse for example, a fixture on the Pimlico car park
for several years, was not there this year but the crowds were
out in force to be spun round, tipped upside down, thrown about
and propelled through the air on a variety of thrill rides. A
Bungee ride stood where the Magic Mouse was usually positioned
but proved difficult to photograph as riders in a ball-like cage
were catapulted to disappear in the dark night sky before bouncing
back down to earth.
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A much more sedate ride, a slowly rotating wheel, was positioned
by the church wall on the Market Place and there were dozens
of stalls offering all manner of food stuffs from sweets and
candy floss to mushy peas and mint sauce, from burgers and roast
pork to hot chestnuts and chocolate strawberries. All in all,
the Fair as usual, offered something for everybody - and an extra
day to enjoy it too.
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