I have had some internet problems, but I am now back online and trying to catch up. Two weeks ago, I went to Bedford to see the River Festival. There was a lot going on and I didn't have a great deal of time, but I watched a little of the raft race, which was a colourful and chaotic affair.
Each year, to coincide with the RHS flower show, the shops and businesses in Chelsea hold 'Chelsea In Bloom'. Described as 'London’s largest free-to-attend festival of flowers', over 145 retailers, restaurants and hotels compete to create floral designs on a theme. This year's theme was ‘Out of this World’, and was broadly interpreted with space travel, astrology and fantasy designs. My favourites were the designs that both met the brief and stayed on brand for the business. These included the cow jumping over the moon at a butchers, a saucepan rocket at a kitchenware shop and 'Little Shop of Horrors' at a florist.
Away from the stages, there are always plenty of characters at Strawberry Fair worthy of an image.
Last Saturday was the 50th anniversary Strawberry Fair. Although the weather was rather cold and grey, it didn't seem to put anyone off having a good time. The crowd built steadily from the early afternoon. There was the usual eclectic range of performers that give the fair its character, from the old blues men and country acts on the Flying Pig stage to some much more lively acts on the Shady Nasty stage.
We interrupt tales from Dundee with a musical interlude. After a 2-year Covid break, Strawberry Fair returned last Saturday. People were clearly in the mood for a good time and the site was busy right from the opening. As usual the bands improved as they day went on and I saw a couple I really enjoyed before I left in the early evening. I also loved the aerial performances from the Cambridge Community Circus.
