Gallery: Wisbech Rose Fair is voted massive success after welcome return

There were two parades, one queen, donkeys, a world record, and loads more as Wisbech Rose Fair was back for the first time in five years with a real bang.

The newly re-incarnated event, the highlight of the town’s calendar, was everything and more as the crowds packed the town centre not only to watch the first ever walking parade but to enjoy a host of events in the Market Place, The Castle, and Museum Square.

Rose Queen Ella Stanier led the parade, which had the theme of the Swinging Sixties, in a golf cart with her princesses following behind on a rickshaw cycle.

This year was the first Rose Fair with the town council in charge after the authority took it on to save it from ending completely following four years of disappointment.

It was first cancelled due to Covid in 2020, it was then cancelled for for two more years on the bounce with a muted comeback last year but without a parade and without any real focus including a decision by St Peter’s Church to no longer hold its renowned flower festival because of a lack of volunteers to prepare the displays.

The event was put in jeopardy when the group of organisations under the banner of the ‘We Love Wisbech’ Partnership’s Rose Fair Committee which took it over last year decided they would not be doing it again.

In September the event was hanging in the balance, but then the town council stepped in and the festivals committee and a raft of volunteers certainly did Wisbech proud with Saturday’s events.

The comments across social media were full of praise for the day from those who enjoyed all the fun on offer which included live music, re-enactors, stalls, fair rides, vintage vehicles, a dinosaur show and fossil dig, an open day at the Angles Theatre, a Rose Walk at Peckover, flower festivals at both Trinity Methodist and the Baptist churches. There was even the chance to climb St Peter’s Church tower.

Staff and residents at Lyncroft Care Home became world record holders thanks to their yarn bomb of The Castle with 13,645 knitted items covering the front entrance to the building.

The walking parade had hundreds of people taking part from various groups and organisations in the town including the Brownies, Guides, schools and others.

The overall winner of the best-participating group was the Wisbech Lithaunian community, the junior winner was the Nine Lives Theatre Company with the Wisbech Air Cadets and their ‘Blue Barrows’ display team highly commended.

On Friday the mayor Sidney Imafidon had the job of judging the best dressed window completion, which was heavily contested but Sunlounger Travel on Market Place taking the accolade.

Afterward, Councillor Sam Hoy, chair of the town council’s festivals committee said: “Usually I do a bit thank you where everyone is named but there are so many people this time and I don’t want to forget anyone because every single person made this event what it was

“Whether it was the community groups like Lyncroft with their yarnbomb, stall holders, shops, musicians, artists, performers, churches, community organisations that ran sections of the event and groups in the parade - you all made a big difference and made it hugely successful

“The team at the Castle as well as all the local buildings that opened really added to what was an unbelievable day.

“Finally thank you to the councillors, council staff and volunteers who set up and stewarded - we couldn’t have run it without you.

“Here’s to next year.”