Village Life - Outdoors

Nothing can stop an English village celebrating its

traditional festivals, even if the ‘tradition’ goes back only a dozen years or so.

Village pubs and cafes benefit, as does the one and only souvenir shop.

Well, why not.

Valley’s End is away from all major roads and cities

and has little apart from its delightful scenery to attract the visitor,

so an invented ‘tradition’ like the spring festival brings a bit of profit to the rural economy.

The organisers work hard to provide all kinds of harmless fun;

there’s archery,

  

there are riding displays and medieval jousting

  

there is music like this band of drummers,

and many booths selling food and drink,

genuinely home-made arts and crafts as well as mass-produced tat.

Many village organisations advertise themselves and their wares here

and the Women’s Institute always has a stall selling cakes that disappear

as fast as snow in summer.

Everyone is happy.

As the field is right outside my garden hedge and people troop

past all day long through what is usually the quietest and most

secluded path,

I am always very happy when it’s all over.

This is a contribution to Our World Tuesday.

Click on the link for many other contributions.