Collett Festival 2018

Collett Park has to be the jewel in Shepton Mallet’s crown, and the annual Collett Festival fits in perfectly with this. The sun shone brightly and warmly this year, so much so that the bar almost ran dry by the evening. The event offered something for everyone, with displays from the Air Cadets, Shepton Mallet Gymnasts, Majorettes, and Chapel Dance Studio; Terry Webb offered up some football skills, and there was music throughout the day from the Wells City Band and Ant Noel & The Peabody Drakes. The ‘top’ western end of the park offered lots of community stalls and tombolas and a variety of street food, with two bars to help wash this down. Carmello was sadly missed this year, although the queues for an alternative ice cream van proved testament to a desire for this tradition to continue.

For the kids, there was an inflated slide and ferris wheel, as well as lots of fairground games; away from the main arena, plenty of bargains could be had at the car boot stalls.

For me, the lake is the biggest attraction: you have model boats of all shapes and sizes, Lucinda the dragon blowing bubbles, and of course the fabulous working model engines powering lights and water.

The evening’s entertainment started with Theo Wakeling, followed by Shoot The Moon, and the headline act The Los Palmas 6 Presents: Madness!

We couldn’t have wished for a better day with the weather, and it just proves that Shepton Mallet can put on a show to be proud of! Roll on 2019 …