Reviews

Repeat Bookings for Welwyn Festival

The Welwyn Festival is an annual themed event that runs for a week throughout the village.

The festival first took place in 1974 as a much smaller concern, but over the years has grown to become a major event on the local calendar.

Festival week starts with the Street Market on the first Saturday, and, after a week of smaller events, culminates in the much-anticipated ‘Family Fun Day’ on the last Saturday.

The Event has a dog show, stalls, fairground rides, tombola’s, classic cars and the finale is the duck race on the river. It is usually attended by 3000-4000 people.

We hold the event to fund local charities, but we also make a significant contribution to other national worthy causes e.g. Air Ambulance.

Back in 2016 we changed our organisation committee. At the new committee's first meeting we decided to carry out a review of the events, and make changes where necessary to improve the festival.

When ‘Punch & Judy’ came up, a few committee members wanted to drop it from Fun Day, stating that it was all "old hat".

I insisted that it was a festival tradition and we needed to give it one more go, as I'd found a new Punch & Judy man. Then if he turned out to be a duffer, we would drop it the following year.

Well, the rest as they say is history. With his showtimes properly advertised, the crowds he gathered marked Paul Jackson’s Show as the single most popular ‘stand’ of the event.

And so, it has proved every year. I get stopped in the High Street by residents, who enquire whether Mr.Punch, in Paul’s capable hands, will be booked again this year. I have to assure them that he’s the first person we book.

It’s always a pleasure talking with Paul, and the care he brings to his work is clearly evident.

Every year the show is fresh, with new current storylines to keep everyone fully engaged.

The set-up, interaction and care exhibited to our audiences with ground cover provided in the form of extra-large velour groundsheets is always appreciated.

And I’m certain it all goes up to help create the sort of atmosphere we strive for.

Our event profits from Paul's presence and Mr. Punch proves as popular today as he’s always been.

Mark Caudle
Family Fun Day Organiser Welwyn Festival Group