Saltash
May Fair
Saltash May Fair is our annual event put on for the people of Saltash. To aim at celebrating the community, businesses and organisations of the town.
The Fair is committee run by volunteers recruited locally. They endeavour to, in the first instance, promote all things local. Participants from outside of Saltash are welcome too. This is a separate committee from other events held in Saltash.
May Fair Volunteers
Everything that makes the Saltash May Fair a great event for the people in the town is organised by a small group of local volunteers.
While it takes a year in planning to make May Fair happen each year it is only made a success with the help of others who can spare a few hours of their time. Perhaps you could help by being on hand to ensure that everything runs smoothly and safely.
Please enjoy our site and we look forward to seeing you at this years
Saltash May Fair
Saltash May Fair – A short history
The origin of Saltash Annual Fair, in common with many other ancient English Fairs, is lost in the midst of time. Bartholomew Fair, which was held on August 24th, was more than seven centuries old when it was discontinued. The earliest Fairs were formed for the convenience of pilgrims gathered about the walls of Abbeys, Churches and Cathedrals on the festivals of the saints to whom they were dedicated.
The first Saltash Fair was held on July 25th, St James Day, though no record exists of any local dedication to that particular saint. Booths were erected in the Fore Street, and its duration, usually three days, was indicated by the fingers of a glove upon a stick, thrust from one of the Guildhall windows.
We know that the ‘First Revival’ of the annual fair was held in 1930, the second
was a year later, and the third was in 1938. Held on August 24th, the 1938 programme
cost 6D and was compiled by Lieut-
The fair was halted by the Second World War, and the ‘Fourth Revival’ was planned during Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee Year as the Queen exhorted all to foster a spirit of togetherness. Members of the Saltash Chamber of Commerce met with representatives of the Town Council and it was decided to revive the fair and pageant in 1978 and to make it an annual event, and to continue the spirit of Jubilee Year.
The events title changed from ‘Saltash Fair and Pageant’ to just ‘Saltash Fair’, until the title ‘Saltash May Fair’ was first used on the front cover of the programme in 1988.
With thanks to Saltash Heritage Museum.
