Ely Cathedral welcomed over 15,000 visitors to its annual Gift & food Fair last week making it record attendance for the seventh year the Fair has been taking place.
Due to the event growing in size and popularity an extra day was added this year to accommodate the growth. Many stall holders sold out and one had to make the 200 mile journey home on Thursday evening just to restock. Many of the regular exhibitors refer to it as the best event of the Christmas Season in the region.
Lesley Ann Thompson says “Our focus is to make it an enjoyable day out for everyone. Crowd control, easy access and car parking are always a major concern as we understand this can cause unnecessary stress to visitors. The additional day worked well in creating a less busy environment and we were delighted that so many people used the dedicated Park & Ride Service or travelled by train. An event of this size and calibre takes a great deal of organising and preparation and we are fortunate to have such a fantastic team of staff and volunteers”.
Over 120 bespoke stalls filled the Cathedral’s magnificent Nave, its famous Lady Chapel and heated marquees in the grounds. In addition to shopping, visitors to the Fair enjoyed street food vendors, creative demonstrations, musical entertainment, a ride on a beautifully restored vintage carousel, and some very loveable reindeer with their elves.
The 2019 event runs from 14 – 16 November inclusive.
Press release from Ely Cathedral
