Newent Onion Fayre 2007

8 September – The Newent Onion Fayre is back for another year running, complete the opportunity to witness the world-famous onion eating competition with your very own teary eyes.

While the Newent Onion Fayre’s history can be traced back a staggering 800 years to the 13th century, the annual event as we know it today was revived in 1996 and has since proven a highlight on the Gloucestershire calendar – attracting around 15,000 visitors from across the county and beyond.

Head for the Newent Onion Fayre this year – the world’s only event of its kind dedicated to the onion family – and you can expect a fun-filled day of music, entertainment, rides, street stalls and shows for young and old. Not forgetting the world-famous onion eating competition, of course.

This year’s Fayre will be opened by BBC Radio Gloucestershire presenter and ornithologist Brian Baily, with the day’s festivities kicking-off at 10am and running until around 5pm – when presumably everyone has had their veritable onion fix.

As the highlight of the day at 1pm in the market square, the onion eating contest sees up to 12 brave contestants in each of the men’s and women’s events chomp their way through a six ounce onion, with the quickest being awarded with a small trophy and the accolade of being the winner for the year. What’s more Guinness World Record holder Brian Duffield is also expected to make another appearance this year – no doubt attempting to beat his record time of 1 minute and 36 seconds.

The 2007 event will also see around 100 stalls offering a variety of local produce, including onions of course – provided exclusively by the Keene’s of Over Farm who sell up to six tons worth of the vegetable at the event each year.

Growers will also be entering their best produce in the show, including a special children’s vegetable animal section. The young, and young at heart, can also enjoy fairground rides including the helter skelter and big wheel and a magic show provided by Tricky Dicky – while bigger kids will appreciate the model boat show and angling displays and tuition at the lake.

A spectrum of musical tastes will be catered for at the Newent Onion Fayre thanks to Gloucestershire band Banshee playing a set of country, folk and Irish music; Forest of Dean young rockers Multi Coloured Mayhem with a set of alternative rock and punk music; Newent band Esotor playing their distinctive brand of metal and thrash; as well as the AW Parker Drybrook Band; the Lydney Lydmet Silver Band; Glebe Gospel Choir; and the Bubonic Wind Band who will being making their way through the crowds to the sound of medieval tunes.

Dancing groups scheduled to make an appearance include Arabian dancer Maxine, Abaresque, England’s Glory and the Forest of Dean Morris and Wimberry Clog Dancers.

Whether or not you’re a fan of the celebrated vegetable, don’t miss what promises to be an unforgettable event for another year running.

Event: Newent Onion Fayre 2007
Venue: Across Newent town centre at numerous venues, with programmes being available on the day
Date: Saturday 8 September 2007
Times: From 10am until around 5pm
Tickets: Admission to the Fayre and town centre is free. Contact Newent Tourist Information Centre on (01531) 822468 for more information.

SoGlos.com
30 August 2007