By Guann-Yeu Chin
On behalf of Melbourn Fete Committee
The yolks are on us – again!
Kicking off the summer, Melbourn Fete has drawn to a close for another year, but before we get into the report, let me start as an Oscar winner would – with thanks to everyone who made it possible.
A massive thank you to our sponsors, whose generosity meant that admission remained free, and that rides and face painting could be subsidised (most at £1 a go, with a maximum of £2 a go). It means a lot to the community and we are truly grateful.
Speaking of the community, it really does take a village to put on a Fete. As committee members, it is a joy and privilege to see how the community comes together, and we would like to thank all the volunteers who pitched in to help set up and pack down, marshal cars, look after stallholders, empty bins and muck in wherever needed. Truly, it wouldn’t be possible without you.
‘So what happened this year?’ I hear you ask, and, ‘Will I have to sit through more egg-related puns again?’ Well I’ll tell you, and no, no you won’t.
Before that, however, Melbourn Fete Committee would like to issue a sincere apology. Some complained that last year’s Family Fun Day was too hot, so we arranged for rain this year. This didn’t seem to please people either, so sunshine was arranged for after the deluge. Sorry. We will try to do better next year. Thank you, though, to everyone who demonstrated that very British characteristic – attending an event in the pouring rain and making the best of it!
After a scaled-back affair in 2023, this year saw a full-on Fete and the reintroduction of the Arena, with attractions galore to delight and entertain. A demonstration of TaeKwon Do kicked us off after the rain had abated, followed by a parade of classic cars that brought (foot) traffic to a standstill. The Musical Dog Sit was a treat and won by a beautiful Pomeranian and its human.
The (in-)famous Egg Throwing Contest returned to popular acclaim, and a large field of competitors lined up to prove that they weren’t an egg short of a carton. The crowd called for egg on faces, but the hens had clearly been fed on high-density corn, as eggs simply refused to break. Shelled catches eventually took their toll however, and despite some impressive scrambling, an oeuf was an oeuf for some of our competitors and the cracks started to appear in some teams’ efforts. One competitor even stamped on their egg after being eliminated – what a huevo to go…
Our defending champions looked to make it a double-yolker, but they egg-xited the competition in the latter stages, paving the way for an egg-citing three-way showdown between our princesses, Anna and Elsa, two fathers from the village (pre-tournament favourites) and two boys who had given us all an egg-ucation in proper egg throwing technique. The favourites smashed it (their egg, that is) and so it came down to a throw-off. Tension mounted as catches were taken, but in the end, an egg-stra strong throw from Anna came to a runny end. “I can’t believe it broke in my hands,” said Elsa, shell-shocked. Ah, just let it go…
In the end, youth poached a big win – congratulations to our 2024 champions, who took home gold medals and a carton of eggs each. We look forward to seeing you defend your title next year!
Yes, I lied about the egg puns.
Although we are known for our Egg Throwing Contest, this year saw the addition of Inflatable Dinosaur Racing. Yes, you read that correctly – Inflatable Dinosaur Racing. It was carnage as five eager dinos slalomed, slammed and stomped their way through the course, demonstrating all the grace of a diplodocus executing a pirouette while being chased by a pack of ravenous tyrannosauruses.* Next year may see the addition of some jumps and ramps for extra mayhem…
* Anyone pointing out that diplodocus lived in the Jurassic period and that tyrannosaurus lived in the Cretaceous, generally hunting individually not in packs – stop being smart and enjoy the metaphor :P
What else was there? Amazing live music from local bands and soloists, food and drink options aplenty from local food trucks, the bar run by Melbourn Dynamos, the BBQ run by Melbourn Hub, and the café run by Home-Start <breathe>, the return of the ever-popular miniature railway ride, bouncy castles, bungee trampolines, climbing wall, dance tent, soft archery <breathe again>, classic cars, fairground carousel organ, stationary engines, 40+ stalls showcasing local groups and businesses, a photo competition and a raffle <and relax>.
Despite our missteps with the weather arrangements, people had a great time, and we are immensely proud of our community’s public-spiritedness – thank you again to everyone who made it possible and everyone who came along.
We are also happy to report that thousands of pounds were made, and we look forward to putting our profits back into the community, and supporting some of the amazing work that goes on in our little corner of the world.
Finally, the inevitable plug… If you’d like to get involved with the Fete or have an idea for other events, please get in touch via info@melbournfete.co.uk. Until next time…
Image credits: Anna Stanley-Smith and Guann-Yeu Chin