Sun-seekers in Bury St Edmunds will not need to venture to the coast next bank holiday weekend as the urban beach returns to the town centre as part of a popular two-day fayre.
The 21st annual Bury St Edmunds Whitsun Fayre will take place from 10am to 4pm on Sunday, May 27, and bank holiday Monday, May 28, with the urban beach being one of the most popular attractions.
This year the beach will occupy a larger space outside Moyse’s Hall museum on the Cornhill – having previously been situated in The Traverse.
The urban beach was first introduced to the Our Bury St Edmunds-run event five years ago and with deckchairs, Punch and Judy shows and seaside sounds, it can give some of the region’s coastal resorts a run for their money.
Mark Cordell, chief executive of Our Bury St Edmunds, said: “The urban beach was so popular when we first brought it to the Whitsun Fayre in 2013 that it now returns for our Food and Drink Festival in August too.
“It’s one of many attractions that make the Whitsun Fayre a brilliant event for all the family, offering a full day of free entertainment on Sunday and Monday.
“Visitors from across Suffolk and further afield love coming to the fayre and it’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase Bury St Edmunds and everything it has to offer.
“It also means local people who support town centre businesses throughout the year can enjoy a free day out as our way of saying thank you.”
The two-day fayre will offer a variety of other popular attractions, including the mini-farm near the top of Abbeygate Street, a flower and plant market, as well as artisan food and craft stalls on Angel Hill and free street entertainment throughout the town centre.
Thousands of people descended on Bury St Edmunds last year to enjoy the various attractions at the event, which included a Formula One simulator and celebrity gardeners.
The fayre, which started life as a flower and plant sale, has grown in recent years – with Our Bury St Edmunds running it for the past seven years.
Admission to the event is free. For more information on attractions at the fayre, visit www.ourburystedmunds.com/whitsunfayre
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