When: 10th & 11th May 2014
Where: Bridport, Dorset
£: Admission to the fair on Sunday will cost £1
What is it?
This year the first Ropewalk Fair will take place, celebrating Bridport’s rope and net industry. Saturday 10th May will involve talks, walks, music and exhibitions in the town, while on Sunday 11th May the main family fair will take place on the Millennium Green.
Events on the Saturday include a talk by Bonnie Sartin on The Full Rigged Ship – Grace Hawar at Bridport Town Hall at 7.30pm. In this talk Sartin will tell the story of Bridport’s rope industry and its links with local shipbuilding. Tickets for this event are £8 and can be bought from Bridport Tourist Information Centre in the Town Hall.
On Sunday 11th May there will be a family fair on the Millennium Green from 11am, with stalls and activities all themed around rope and nets. There will be a heritage marquee, live music and local food and drink. The rope and net themed-events will include a mass skipping event at 12 noon, maypole dancing at 2pm and a tug of war at 3pm. The Tug of War contest costs £10 for a team of six to enter. There will also be a beat the goalie contest, basketball and tennis.
Bridport’s rope and net industry heritage can still be seen in the layout of its streets and long gardens. Today’s net makers are still at the forefront of design, production and innovation providing nets for top sporting venues from Wembley to Wimbledon, as well as providing nets to the aviation and defence sector, and children’s play areas.
Money raised from the Ropewalk Fair will go to Bridport’s Literary and Scientific Institute and Bridport Museum redevelopment projects.
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