All the fun of the fair in Ashford
All the fun of the fair returns to Ashford this May bank holiday Monday, as the village hosts its fifth annual Ashford Country Fair.
A huge range of attractions are planned for the family day out, which will take place on the grounds of the Bel Air Hotel from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, May 1. The cost of entry is €5 per car.
This year there will be two gun dog demonstrations – one featuring labradors, the other with spaniels. Dog lovers are welcome to bring their own pet pooches along and enter them in the ever-popular dog show, which has a broad variety of classes catering for all shapes, sizes, breeds and colours of dog. Entries for the dog show will be taken from 11 a.m.
The highly entertaining duck herder returns this year, giving three separate demonstrations so that everyone will have a chance to watch the dog skilfully herd the ducks as they waddle into a pen.
A new event in this year’s line-up is the falconry display and people will also be given the opportunity to have their photograph taken holding a bird of prey.
As always, there will be a variety of farm animals on display, including a donkey, calf, sheep, lambs and hens, and the vintage tractors will also make a return, along with some classic cars.
There will be a huge range of stalls featuring the likes of the work of the Men’s Shed, jewellery, crafts, wood turning, pottery, soaps, bric-a-brac, books, clothes, cakes, country produce and more. Green-fingered guests will also be well-catered for with a selection of shrubs, flowers and vegetable plants on sale.
For the younger members of the public, there will be fun corner with a bouncy castle, bucking bronco, cactus shy and pottery painting.
There will be plenty of refreshments on sale throughout the day, ensuring there’s no reason not to stay from start to finish. A raffle will also take place, with lots of fantastic prizes up for grabs.
Organisers have sent their thanks to the Freeman family for allowing them to hold the fair in such beautiful surroundings.