East Preston Festival chairman pleased with first half

He set himself the ambitious target of attending every single one of the 100-plus individual events in this year’s record-breaking programme, and after the first few days it was still within his aim.

The 2012 festival opened with a Question of Sport quiz at East Preston FC on Friday (June 1), with all six of the village’s sports clubs taking part, and the sailing and dinghy club claiming victory and the Streets Ahead Trophy.

The popular nappy run and obstacle race attracted a record 40 entries on Saturday morning, and, in this Olympic year, another sporting event, a family race night and American supper, provided a great evening’s entertainment on Saturday, June 2.

Heavy overnight rain failed to wash out the Party on the Green event organised on the village green by East Preston and Kingston Royal British Legion Club on Sunday, June 3.

Face painting, a bouncy castle and children’s activities, boules, a hog roast, live music, tug-of-war and a real ale marque drew large crowds to the green.

And the open space was also the focus of the festival’s Queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations on Monday (June 4), when three village-based acts, Kit Bradshaw, Eight Miles High and John Bentley, from Squeeze, were joined by the Jazz Smugglers.