It was a rainy day on Sunday and the tennis at Queen’s tennis club was suffering with the covers over the grass of its centre court for several hours. We were waiting for Andy Murray to take centre stage and hopefully beat Marian Cilic as well as the weather. The good people of Marylebone Summer Fayre were waiting for a break in the rain to attract the crowds to enjoy their great annual event.

The Summer Fayre is in its 9th year and is bigger and better each time. All the streets around Marylebone High Street were closed to traffic and they were lined with great stalls of all types from herbs and spices to aromatherapy treatments, from jewellery to Peruvian knitwear. They somehow managed to pull of the great trick of hosting a traditional English fete in the centre of London and you can tell there are lots of locals as well as visitors. They had chose Kids’ Company as their charity partner so it doubled as a big fund raiser as well.

typical street scene at the Summer Fayre

They had it all for a classic summer fayre: a wandering strawberries and cream seller; salsa dancing in the streets; several kids play areas; a market with great clothes (yes I succumbed!);and, loads of food stalls and restaurants with tables outside. There was music thanks to several sound systems and the concert area with crowd pleasing performers and when I was there it turns out it wasTony Moore ex member of Cutting Crew singing ‘I died in your arms tonight’! 

salsa dancing in the streets

a bouncey thing for the kids

more fun for the kids

never complete without strawberries and cream

restaurants set up tables outside

the sound stage

colourful stalls in the market

One of my favourite stall ideas was Paul, the French boulangerie, who were offered free bread making classes for small children – very cute!

Britain’s baking craze continues…

There was plenty to drink thanks to local pubs and bars, a Pimm’s stall decked with union flags, a fabulous lemonade bicycle stall and the best bar sign ever – that all proceeds would go to charity – so you just had to have a drink as it would be mean not to……!!

Pimm’s – of course

rather lovely lemonade stall

what better excuse for a drink!

Let’s hope the rain holds off from now on as Wimbledon approaches – thank goodness they built the roof on centre court just in case!

Bye for now,
Sue
itsyourlondon.co.uk
@itsyourlondon