Albion Fairs
Encyclopedia
Albion Fairs was the general name for the second wave of East Anglia
n Fairs, running from 1978 until 1982. There were further fairs in the same tradition most years until the end of the 1980s.
The East Anglian Fairs began with the Barsham
Medieval Faire in 1972, and developed into a significant feature of rural counterculture in Britain, drawing on aspects of pop festival culture, the reinvention of traditional rural or nomadic seasonal gatherings, and a back-to-the-land early green ethos. The voluntary organisers worked under the name of the East Anglian Arts Trust (EAAT). Barsham Faire ran annually on the August Bank Holiday
until 1976. In 1976 EAAT revived the Bungay
May Horse Fair, which was also held in 1977. An ad hoc group of fair organisers and crew participated in the Eye
Show in August 1977. This led to the formation,in the winter of 1977/1978, of Albion Fairs.
Some events used the spelling Fayre or Faire.
In the 1990s and 2000s a fairly vibrant if not quite as accessible successor to the Fairs in the region was organised as the mostly biennial gatherings of Dance Camp East.
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
n Fairs, running from 1978 until 1982. There were further fairs in the same tradition most years until the end of the 1980s.
The East Anglian Fairs began with the Barsham
Barsham, Suffolk
Barsham is a village and civil parish in the Waveney district of Suffolk, England. It is about two miles west of Beccles in the district of Waveney, and is on the edge of The Broads...
Medieval Faire in 1972, and developed into a significant feature of rural counterculture in Britain, drawing on aspects of pop festival culture, the reinvention of traditional rural or nomadic seasonal gatherings, and a back-to-the-land early green ethos. The voluntary organisers worked under the name of the East Anglian Arts Trust (EAAT). Barsham Faire ran annually on the August Bank Holiday
Bank Holiday
A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or a colloquialism for public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract...
until 1976. In 1976 EAAT revived the Bungay
Bungay, Suffolk
Bungay is a market town in the English county of Suffolk. It lies in the Waveney valley, west of Beccles on the edge of The Broads, and at the neck of a meander of the River Waveney.-Early history:...
May Horse Fair, which was also held in 1977. An ad hoc group of fair organisers and crew participated in the Eye
Eye, Suffolk
Eye is a small market town in the county of Suffolk, East Anglia, England, south of Diss, and on the River Dove.Eye is twinned with the town of Pouzauges in the Vendée Departement of France.-History:An island...
Show in August 1977. This led to the formation,in the winter of 1977/1978, of Albion Fairs.
Some events used the spelling Fayre or Faire.
In the 1990s and 2000s a fairly vibrant if not quite as accessible successor to the Fairs in the region was organised as the mostly biennial gatherings of Dance Camp East.