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Floral Fringe Fair on the Move

Floral Fringe Fair  on the Move

29 January 2019 14:55 PM

After spending six years at Knepp Castle, the Floral Fringe Fair is re-locating this June to Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre for its seventh anniversary. “We had nearly 7,000 visitors over the 2018 weekend. Hopefully we can build on that, in our new venue, with the added attraction of an exciting industrial museum thrown in”, says Jean Jackman.

Jean and her husband, Steve, travelled around Sussex for 20 years to various fairs and events selling the English native wildflowers that she grew and the metal plant supports that he made in his spare time, before trying the other side of the fence. In 2012 they organised the first Floral Fringe Fair on the first weekend after the last May bank holiday, and in 2019 this is Saturday June 1st and Sunday June 2nd.

“The fair still has the theme of encouraging visitors to make their gardens wildlife-friendly but it has evolved into much, much more. It has become a unique fair with a personality and atmosphere, very popular with families and dog-owners”, Jean adds. “It is described by visitors as ‘quirky, quality, informative, friendly and eclectic’. So this has become our mantra..

“The fair is all about artists and makers and producers of aesthetic and beautiful things; it is about food that is locally grown and raised and it is about all things green, health- enhancing and countryside-based and now it has re-located to Amberley Museum it has a huge added bonus of many different collections to explore under cover over the 36 acres.

“Last year saw the introduction of an inventive new flavour of Steampunk. It is typically English, massively creative and totally eccentric, so fits in well with our ethos and the industrial history surroundings”, says Jean. “We have invited several Steampunk societies to come this year dressed in Steampunk style. We also are very excited to announce that the talented and eccentric Ichabod Steam will be bringing his new invention to the fair”.

Entry costs are: adults £10, under 14s £2, under 4s free. Visitors get access not only to the fair but to the whole of the Amberley Museum collections, which usually cost £14.50. Travel is easy with Amberley station next door and plenty of parking if you travel by car.

Click here for Hello Horsham`s day 1 listing and here for day2.

Picture © copyright Peter Trimming: Amberley Museum
De Witts Kilns, lime kilns built in 1905. The railway line (in deep shadow on the right) is standard gauge.






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