End of an era as Carters fair makes its final visit
Holyport: Chapter set to close for vintage fair after touring for 45 years
Carters Steam Fair is set to make its final ever stop in Maidenhead this weekend as the fairground comes to Holyport Green.
Carters announced earlier this year that 2022 would be the last year of touring for the fair, which has been operated by the Carter family for 45 years.
In April, Joby Carter revealed that the family were looking for a permanent home for the fair after decades of touring, which could see the sale of the vintage fairground rides and attractions to interested owners.
The rides have featured in a number of films such as Paddington 2 and Rocketman as well as TV shows including Worzel Gummidge and Call the Midwife.
Fairground owner Joby said: “Since we made the announcement about 2022 being our final tour, we have been speaking to visitor attractions
and organisations who may be able to help us preserve the legacy of this unique collection of rides for future generations to enjoy.
“The interest in the fair has never been higher, and we’ve had such a busy year with record breaking numbers coming to visit us, which has kept us all really busy.
“When we pull back into the yard at White Waltham, we’ve decided to spend some more time raising awareness on a national level to ensure that we can get as much support as possible in finding a permanent home for the fair.
“We want to make sure we have had conversations with the right people who can help us find a permanent home for the fair.
“But the reality is that if we can’t find a suitable location then we may need to consider selling the rides and side stalls individually at an auction. It would be sad to see this unique collection split up.
“Our dream is to keep the collection together and it would be lovely if it ended up in our hometown of Maidenhead where we have so many memories and so many loyal fans. How this could happen
we don’t know, but we can wish.”
Those interested in attending this weekend’s fair are encouraged to book ahead to take advantage of online offers.
“This weekend will be our final ever tour date in Maidenhead and we are looking forward to a fantastic event with free fireworks on the Saturday night at 9pm,” Joby added.
“There won’t be a 2023 tour: come and make memories with us one last time.”
For more information, visit: www.carterssteamfair.co.uk