Town looking to past for annual fair

Preparations are well underway for next year's annual charter fair in a Staffordshire town, which is still more than eight months away.

Rugeley was granted its market charter by the Crown in 1259 and the Charter Fair and parade will have a special theme to mark its 750th anniversary in 2009.

The event, which is the 18th annual fair organised by Rugeley Town Council, will take place on June 6 and its theme will be Rugeley from the years 1259 to 2009 to celebrate 750 years of the charter. Maureen Campbell, town clerk, said: "Rugeley has quite a huge history which can be brought to the fore by this theme for the fair.

"The town has been a tannery, a mining community, a glassworks, part of the hunting forests of the Plantagenet kings and of course, in the war years there was a military hospital and army camps here.

"There are quite a considerable number of things people could look to and perhaps portray in their floats for the parade."

The parade should be taking its normal route leaving the town council's buildings in Taylors Lane around midday to head down along Elmore Lane, Sheep Fair, Church Street, Market Street, Lichfield Road, Horse Fair and into Hagley Park. This year there were around 25 floats taking part in the parade and entries for next year's parade are already being taken by the town council.

Mrs Campbell added: "Quite often we have applications for floats as early as the August following the event in June.

"We would like people who would like to put in a float for next year to come forward as early as possible."

The council is also looking for people interested in setting up a market stall for the day to come and put their names forward as soon as possible too.

Planning is still in the early stages about the free family entertainment being held in the park but this year's Wild West Extravaganza with Devil Horsemen stuntmen re-enacting Buffalo Bill's 1896 Wild West Show and activities like line-dancing, horseshoe throwing and shooting ranges were popular with the hundreds of Rugeley residents who attended.

Mrs Campbell added: "We try to do something different every year to keep the interest alive.

"It's great for the kids to take part and get involved in making a float or in the entertaining activities."

Charities ranging from St Giles' Hospice through to the Cats Protection League also benefit from the fair by being given the chance to hold stalls at the event for free.

Anyone who would like to enter a float into next year's fair, or set up a market stall at the event should contact the council on 01889 574074 for an application form.