By Safira Ali

Last updated 13:08, Tuesday, 06 May 2008

ALL was fair over the Bank Holiday in Cockermouth as the town put on street entertainment 18th century style.

• Slideshow: photos from the fair
• Video: watch the fun of the fair

In the driving seat: Melanie Wheatley in the Sedan Chair race, with Chris Sutcliffe, Steve Beresford, Richard Fielden, Peter Raby, Kingschurch.

The biannual Georgian Fair included Morris dancers, circus acts, and musket rifle firing, and was the first major event to take place in the newly-revamped Market Place.

The event, which attracted thousands over the holiday weekend, was officially opened on Saturday by Lord Frank Judd, the town crier and mayor, Sam Standage.

The day opened with dancers performing in the new market square. A group called Regency Rejigged, from Chorley, performed traditional Georgian dances, followed by a series of Morris dancers, including Cockermouth-based Belfagan dancers, Carlisle Step and Clog and Singleton Morris. Music was provided by the Cockermouth Mechanics Band.

Bitter Beck Car Park was closed off to traffic and packed full of bustling market stalls. Children tried their hand at spinning plates and balancing on stilts during a circus skills workshop.

Georgian characters including John Dalton re-enacted events throughout the town during a Streetlife tour, while Georgian duo Swash and Buckle kept on-lookers entertained with comedy put-downs and disapproving glares.

The Sedan Chair race was the finale to a fun-packed day with six teams battling it out to be the fastest to carry someone in a chair across the finishing line.

About 500 people piled onto the banks in the Memorial Gardens to watch the contest which included the teams M Sport; King’s Church Alpha Course; Dad’s Army; King’s Merry Men; National Child Birth Trust; and King Reef Café. Lord Judd said: “This is terrific. There’s a great sense of community in Cockermouth. We are really grateful to all the volunteers who have made this day possible. The town has a very special Georgian character and we must preserve that rich heritage for generations to come. We must celebrate the past as we move into the future.”

Sid Stephens, who watched the events, said: “It has been a good day. The weather was great and the dances were absolutely brilliant.”

Work on Cockermouth’s Market Place was finished on Friday in time for the opening of the fair. Councillor Standage said it had caused problems over the last few months but it was worth it to create a venue to house the Georgian Fair.

He said: “Market Place has caused a lot of problems for everybody. Traders in particular and most people in town have been affected. It is great how they have accepted it now. What has been achieved now is terrific. It is a great community space and blends in well with the town.”