Festival of the Forties is over

Matt Page, from the Festival of the Forties organising team has announced that the show this year was the final one and that the event has been cancelled permanently. Matt explained that this was because of the following: ‘We had to move our date next year because Woodhall Spa 40s weekend and the War and Peace Revival weekend both moved forward a week and we had to follow so we did not clash. However our proposed Sunday, 26 July 2020 date clashed with the Steam fair that follows us on the event site. They have the site booked from the Sunday as their arrival day for their event. As well as this there are lack of volunteers that need to be a part of this growing show, there’s a lack of sponsorship, and an ever-increasing running costs to meet targets each year.’

This year 56 re-enactment groups converged on the Floods Ferry site at March in Cambridgeshire, representing both the Allied and Axis forces. Throughout the weekend there were arena displays and events, compered throughout. There were food stalls, a beer tent, 1940s dance lessons, daytime marquee entertainment and trade stands aplenty. There was a flypast of Battle of Britain Memorial Flight aircraft on both days, these being the Spitfire and Hurricane on the Saturday and an iconic Spitfires on the Sunday.

Matt paid tribute to those that had contributed to the event: ‘I cannot thank you all enough. Re-enactment groups, traders, loyal followers and the team of family and friends that over the years have stuck by me and my beliefs in free entry for current armed forces personnel and their immediate families, veterans and children under 12. It is not the end of Britain’s Heritage. Just a move in another direction for us so watch out for a military fair, bus tours and one or two other things.’

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