Ludlow's Medieval Christmas Fayre is a family affair

Am I getting too far ahead of myself? You might be inclined to think so but when you are preparing for such a huge Shropshire spectacle as the annual Ludlow Medieval Christmas Fayre, festive planning is never far away from your thoughts.

“We would normally start working on plans for the fayre in February, our Christmas starts frighteningly early!” explains Prue Dakin, who is marking 30 years of staging events at Ludlow Castle this year by bringing the fayre back after Covid.

“This year has been a little bit different. For the first part of the year, we didn’t know what we’d be allowed to do. There was a lot of saying, ‘This is the date, we are planning to do something but we don’t know what it will be!’

“Fortunately, in the last couple of months the plans have come together.”

The well-loved south Shropshire celebration will attract thousands of people to Ludlow Castle as they travel back in time for a weekend of fun, hearty food and live performances over November 27-28, all in its full traditional style.

It will be a welcome return after all the challenges of the pandemic, with so many left shattered and traumatised by the coronavirus outbreak.

For Prue, who works alongside daughter Abi running independent company Dakin Events, there is a sense of joy that the Fayre will be back in its rightful place for its 23rd year but also pride at how last year’s event was adapted.

In a break from tradition, last November, audiences joined the Fayre from the warmth of their homes when it was held online for the first time.

It meant families from across the world could access the entertainment from workshops, exhibitors and more.

“We felt we owed it to people – the performers, exhibitors and visitors – to do something,” said Prue. “We missed the Fayre in its normal form, of course, and we know many other families missed being able to attend.

“But we were also proud of what we pulled off on-line. It was very different but people loved it."

“We brought in different elements, like the workshops. We had Zoom workshops on cooking, wreath making and many other activities.

“They were lovely and, actually, we are thinking of incorporating those elements again this year, even though we are back with the physical event. It will be an opportunity for us to reach people who can’t make it.”

Covid remains in the thoughts of the organisers. To keep audiences safe, the event will be for pre-booked ticket holders so with a limited number available, Fayre lovers have been urged to make sure they are ready to book early.

“Keeping people safe is important to us,” added Abi. “We want them to recognise the things they know and love are there but also want them to feel confident and looked after. We have that responsibility as event organisers.”

It’s a sensible approach but not one which will deflect from a welcome return – “The response has been overwhelming already which is lovely,” says Prue. “People are very excited.”

Local businesses and regular performers will again be on board for the Fayre, with its unique mix of theatre, music, comedy and storytelling, along with workshop, tours, demonstrations and more.

The castle and its grounds will be transformed into a lively festival with more than 100 stalls along with a programme of live entertainment, which will take in medieval jesters entertaining audiences and knights fighting in shining armour through to evocative period musicians.

“A lot of old favourites are coming back, the performers people love to see so much,” adds Prue. “We will also be paying our respects to one of those fabulous medieval performers – Paul Saunders – Wynndebagge.

“He sadly died last April and his wife Elizabeth is working with us and all our fantastic performers so that we we will pay our respects to him in a lovely way."

“He was a fabulous, go to person for the Christmas Fayre and the contacts and goodwill we have, he built a lot of it up and we have carried it forward.”

Now in the final stages of preparation, Prue feels blessed to be working with Abi, who has become an integral partner in the development of the Christmas Fayre.

And the fact their creativity can take place against the backdrop of the stunning Ludlow Castle makes it all the more special.

“It’s wonderful,” Prue says, enthusiastically. “To plan it with Abi is lovely because when I started, she was a very little person running around Ludlow Castle.

"It was like a playground to her! We now enjoy working together and Ludlow Castle has gone from being part of her childhood to part of her work.”

It’s a historic venue which is very much wrapped up in their family heritage now, as Prue celebrates the personal landmark of 30 years since first staging an event at the castle.

“I created the first Ludlow Castle Festival of Crafts back in 1991 and the Food Festival then started and I was bought in to put that together as a structured event,” she recalls fondly.

“I remember the Custodian of the Castle, at the time, Helen Duce saying: ‘There’s a spring event – the craft festival, a summer arts event, there’s an autumn one – food ... Why don’t we do a winter festival!?’

“We did research and put on the first Christmas Fayre. They have always been on that last weekend in November and we see the event as the kick off to the Christmas season.

“It has really worked over the years. The atmosphere and general mix of fantastic stalls and entertainment just really works for people.

“The castle is such an important player in the whole event and the Castle custodian (Sonja Belchere) and trustees are so supportive of us. It’s just lovely because the castle just comes to life.”

For details of tickets for the 2021 Ludlow Medieval Christmas Fayre visit www.ludlowmedievalchristmas.co.uk