by Dave Roberts
Middlewich has taken its annual Rose Fete to its heart in recent years. The event, held on the Saturday of the FAB Festival weekend every June, was rescued by an enthusiastic and highly professional committee of local people a few years ago when it looked likely that it would fold. The Rose Fete is a strong and growing part of the 'local' element of the FAB Festival and.now that the festival is moving away from its 'strictly folk' policy and embracing music and events of all kinds to become more of a community event, the Rose Fete has come into its own.
The event is a chance for children of all ages to take part in a unique local occasion paying homage to the past and making memories for the future.
The Middlewich Rose Fete has its roots in Cheshire's tradition of rose queens, dairy queens, salt queens, carnivals, village fetes, Whit Sunday processions and many more town and village celebrations including, of course, the more recent festivals of which the Folk & Boat Festival was one of the first a quarter of a century ago.
The Rose Fete is anxious to preserve its own history as well as the history of some of those other traditional local events, and we're delighted to be able to pass on this message from the organisers:
Michelle Game writes:
Hi Everyone,
It's not long now until the Rose Fete and I am hoping that you can all help.
I am trying to create a display in the Rose Fete Marquee this year (and for future years) of past Rose Fetes, and I need pictures, newspaper clippings, and a few other bits.
I know we have already started a fantastic collection on the Rose Fete's Facebook page (link below), which I will also use, but I would like more.
So here's what I need:
Copies of pictures of: past parades, crowning ceremonies, queens and retinues with information on the year, and the people in the picture.
Copies of newspaper cuttings of: past parades, crowning ceremonies, queens and retinues with the year, and details of who is in the picture.
If anyone has scrap books, tiaras/crowns, trophies, cloaks etc.that they will be willing to loan us for the weekend, I'd be grateful if you could write on a piece of paper who it belongs to, their role and the year.
We also want pictures etc from the Carnivals and other Middlewich events before the Rose Fete became established as an event in its own right.
with their details or email me at: middlewichrosefetechairman@outlook.com.
If you have scrap books etc that will need collecting again either email me or txt/call: 07800 50 35 79 and we'll sort out collection.
Thank you everyone for your help and I look forward to seeing your fantastic pictures and items!
