Drumduan School’s fair at Clovenside offered the school community and visitors market stalls, games, crafts and much more
PUPILS and staff at a local school staged a community event to celebrate the arrival of summer.
The free to enter Drumduan School Fair on Saturday, May 18 featured market stalls, a café, barbecue, crafts, games, music and maypole dancing within the grounds between Clovenside Road and Drumduan Park.
Parent volunteer Sarah-Jane Mills confirmed the event “went really well”.
She said: “A lot of preparation goes into our May Fair - it’s a lovely, relaxed event. All of the pupils, parents, staff and friends help as much as they can. Visitors and passers-by also join in the fun.
“It’s a time for our community to come together and celebrate the pupils' activities, socialise and raise funds for our school. Each class does something for the fair and it's learning by doing.”
There was a maypole session in the morning - pupils had fun providing “a wonderful visual feast” and music. A maypole is a tall wooden pole, typically erected as a part of European folk festivals. In the UK, maypole dances traditionally celebrate the arrival of better weather that allows crops to grow. Dancers attached colourful ribbons and each participant wraps one around the pole to create a multi-coloured ‘tree’ that symbolized the colours of summer.
The school choir sang during the afternoon session and later in the day local musicians entertained while attendees enjoyed barbecue and café with food contributed by the community.
“We had two areas,” explained Sarah-Jane. “One for stalls and another for socialising.
“Kindergarten created a beautiful fairy tea party in their garden. Class 1 hosted a ‘Lucky Dig’ stall, Class 2 a raffle stall, Class 3 /4 held a Children's Crafts stall, Class 5/6 organised and ran the barbecue, Class 7/8 the games, Classes 9/10 the cafe, and class 11/12 ran a Preloved Clothes stall.
“A class 10 pupil also organised and ran a book stall, a feature of our annual fairs also including the Christmas Market.”
Independent stallholders included local artists, a writer, homemade goods and crafts.
“The fair officially lasted from 11am-3pm,” added Sarah-Jane, “but everyone was having so much fun, it just kept going!”
Drumduan is an independent school that provides a Waldorf education for pupils from Kindergarten to 18 years old. For more information visit www.drumduan.org
Sarah-Jane finished: “We raised approximately £3000 for school funds.
“It's our 40th anniversary next year and we are launching an alumni programme in the summer term, with the aim of bringing together as many of our alumni as possible for a summer gathering in 2025.
“If anyone would like to be part of our alumni, please email school.reception@drumduan.org.”