Carole Roberts, President of the Croydon Natural History and Scientific Society, will talk us through tales of trade, tricksters, and rich local traditions.
Croydon’s first fairs were authorised from the year 1276 when the Archbishop of Canterbury granted a charter to Croydon. The Walnut Fair which started on 2 October and lasted three days was authorised by a charter in the 14th century. It was a trade fair but from early days it was also an opportunity for a pleasure fair with stalls and entertainment. The last Croydon pleasure fair took place in 1868.
Curiosities were popular at the Fair! One of them was Learned pigs. There were also peep shows, theatre performances, menageries – one year an elephant managed to escape the fair compound and ended up in a baker’s shop stealing buns.
Inspired by this history, Croydon Harvest is a fun, free family weekend in Croydon town centre with plenty of surprises and spectacles. Join us on the weekend of 4 and 5 October as we recreate and forge new traditions through folk dancing from around the world; street performances; theatre shows; face painting; fortune telling; Harvest stories (for adults and children); Vauxhall City Farm; street food; a craft and community market; seasonal cocktails at the Harvest Bar as well as autumnal crafts.
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Croydon Harvest is delivered by the London Borough of Croydon
Photo Credit: Image of Croydon Fair by George Hawkins (ref: M/1993/983)
Courtesy of Museum of Croydon
