Rackham Fete and Flower Show

So for the past 100 years I have heard tales of the Rackham Fair which is actually the
Rackham Fete and Flower Show.

Its in the middle of nowhere, mum and I never had a car when we lived on the south coast so wouldn't have been able to get there without a whole heap of troubled traveling.
My oldest family friends who lived chaotically round the corner and loved me dearly usually went every year but not with much planning as it was the event that sort of jumped out at you from the calender. There are also six in their family it could have been an unsafe squeeze with me in the car although I did travel to Thorpe Park in the boot with them once when I was about 10.

Stories of the fairs wooden slide that travels through the trees have stayed with me forever.

On Sunday my oldest friend said "tomorrow it's Rackham"
I am not sure if she was inviting me but I was going.

Bless her she sent me the post code and a message to bring coins and I bundled us into the car and off we went.


It was amazing for lots of reasons
These are the photos that I managed to take. Crappy overcast weather didn't help and then the battery ran out.

The approach from the free car park

LOOK! The slide and isn't that Peter Rabbit

Is anything 30p and more?

This print was a great distraction from all the Cath Kidston walking around.

The Pre War Tea Tent

So much bunting

Lots of stalls lots to win but nothing to buy. Refreshing

I thought that the slide was about 100 meters long, it's not, but it is great and I could go on it 100 times. The tea was fantastic and it looked like everyone had baked a cake we had a slice of everything......still exaggerating.

At 3pm they have the children's races, potato, egg and spoon, sack and straight running.
T was up for winning the under 5 running. She had two attempts. The first race had all children under 5 so there were children everywhere and it was a disaster so they tried again and she and I were up for winning.
Unfortunately I had told her to run striaght to the end and stop at the bunting and didn't add the information about running around slower children and she ploughed straight into a boy.

MY ANKLE!! she cried I WANT TO GO HOME!

A couple of turns on the slide soon fixed things but an an ice cream which turned out to be the wrong flavour and then you add in a bit of misery and miscommunication and before you know it you can see the end of the afternoon appearing on the horizon.

G wanted a turn at the coconut shy - 3 balls 50p - but was unsuccessful but I think that was because you had to hit them at 15 meters at least! He was a bit of a disappointed looser a bit like his daughter, peas in a pod actually so with two lollies I packed everyone back in the car and promised to come back again next year and headed for home.
Maybe next year we will enjoy flower display then and have a crack at the tombola.

We unpacked two sleeping sticky faces and all had a peaceful evening.

Today I sound like Mariella Frostrup or that other one who's been around for years who's name I can't think of.

Busy week going to clean house.
CM