Floral Fringe Fair to bring a touch of Goodwood Revival when it returns in new Horsham location

Visitors to this year's Floral Fringe Fair are encouraged to attend dressed in style and to turn up in classic and vintage cars SUS-200303-112041001

The Floral Fringe Fair, which has previously been held at Knepp Castle and Amberley Museum, will this year take place at Leonardslee Gardens in Lower Beeding.

It will be held on the weekend of May 30 and 31 from 10.30am–5pm on both days, and visitors are encouraged to dress in style and turn up in vintage and classic cars.

Jean Jackman, who organises the fair with her husband Steve, said: “The Floral Fringe Fair still has the theme of encouraging visitors to make their gardens wildlife-friendly but it has evolved into much, much more.

“The fair is all about artists and makers and producers of aesthetic and beautiful things; it is about food that is locally grown and raised and it is about all things green, health-enhancing and countryside-based.

“It has become a unique fair with a personality and atmosphere. It is very popular with families and dog owners and also with lovers of all things artistic, creative and foodie.

“It is described by visitors as ‘quirky, high quality, informative, friendly and eclectic’ so this has become our mantra.”

The fair will have around 140 stallholders featuring plants, artists, wildlife, makers, vintage goods, as well as a variety of live singing, music and dancing all weekend.

Visitors are also encouraged to bring their picnic rugs, buy their picnic at the fair and picnic on the grass in the deer park where the fair is taking place.

There will be many food stalls selling both hot food such as halloumi burgers, barbecues and pizzas and also speciality breads, cheeses and salads, artisan sausage rolls and falafels.

Vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free diets have been considered and there will be pop-up vintage cafes, ice creams, gin cocktails, a beer tent. Pimms, and tea and coffee vendors.

Jean said: “Many of our original stallholders are returning and we are looking to include just a few more specially selected businesses to keep it fresh and interesting for the visitors.

“The fair will never grow to be huge as we want to enjoy it ourselves. We want it to be a very special ‘boutique’ experience for the visitor.

“The fair is all about quality and not quantity, as it always has been.

“2018 saw the introduction of an inventive new flavour of Steampunk. It is typically English, massively creative and totally eccentric, so fits in well with our ethos.

“We also are very excited to announce that the talented and eccentric Ichabod Steam will be bringing his submarine to the fair again and performing his new ‘Darkside’ show.

“We try to make our fair special by ensuring, as far as possible, that everything on sale is hand-made or home-made, or at least designed and produced by the stall-holder selling it, except in the case of Steampunk and vintage stalls.

“We are particularly keen on promoting and choosing businesses from Sussex, Surrey, Kent and Hampshire although we will consider stallholders from further afield if they are offering something unique.”

The Floral Fringe Fair has been inviting classic car clubs and owners, and once again hope to attract many beautiful and interesting classic and vintage vehicles. There is no need to register and there is ample parking.

Entrance price is adults – £8.50, children under 14 – £3, under 4s – free. The first two occupants of a classic pre-1979 car £7 each.

Entry to the fair excludes the gardens as the fair is situated in the deer park to the south of the gardens. Entry to the gardens can be purchased once at the fair, at a specially reduced rate.

his year for the first time Early Bird tickets can be bought by going onto Leonardslee Gardens website www.leonardsleegardens.co.uk

While there are a couple of card machines at the entrance, bringing cash is appreciated and many stallholders also only accept cash.

Dogs are welcome on leads.

For more information, visit www.floralfringefair.co.uk, or find Floral Fringe Fair on Facebook Facebook or Instagram @floralfringefair

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