Strawberry Fair?

So was there a fair this year? Not one mention on the site this year. Hmmm.

I thought that it was quite good this year. I don't think I've ever been to and enjoyed the fair in the evening before - fifteen years ago I used to start drinking at lunchtime and then wobble home at 5pm. Five years ago the fair got too scary to stay past dinnertime because of all the crowds and drunk people. So I think they've done a good job of quietening it down over the last few years.

I missed the film festival on Friday because I didn't book tickets and it was full when I went down. This was my fault entirely. :)

There was no mention of the Cambridge Beer Festival either, which is arguably a bigger event.

I've never been to the Beer Festival, I've never seen the appeal.

I remember back in the day, nearly every-other house had a Strawberry Fair poster in their window (well in Romsey any way)
Now you could be forgiven for not even knowing it was on.
Who played? No idea, why aren't they promoting it properly? Is it that complacent not thinking Cambridge thing that has ruined so many assets the city could have.
Also it's like trying to break out of Stalag 13 or something, trying to get in...... They had Jousting a few years ago, hardly Ozrics Tentacles and RDF, is it.....?

I might be wrong about this, but I think that that committee doesn't promote the fair as much as it used to because it has had to carefully manage the number of people on site after the issues it had in 2009. I know they don't advertise the fair outside of Cambridge for that reason. Hopefully someone will correct me if I am wrong.

This may also apply to the acts playing. Despite the lack of "big" names I thought that the standard of music was quite good this year - certainly much better than the interchangable pub rock bands that you have sometimes had before. I'd much rather see a lot of good small bands than lots of bad ones and one big headliner.

Agreed re the bands....
But keeping to a secret amongst the organisers and their chums, is just so Cambridge.
The old posters were great, especially the one with the strawberry jam jar!

I'm guessing that they are trying to keep a happy balance and it's hardly a secret if you live in Cambridge - it really had got completely out of control of course!!

It was great this year: safe, not packed and a really nice vibe. First time I've enjoyed it in years.

I'm very local to the fair and in the past have got right browned off with some VERY anti-social behaviour around the streets: drunks who were staggering around at midday, nasty little scotes peeing in doorways, that sort of thing. It was pretty clear that SF had lost its way and had ceased to be a local event too - it was on the circuit and attracted a crowd who simply didn't respect the event, the common or Cambridge.

This year it felt much more harmonious. It was a pain not being able to use the Pretoria Road Bridge but that was easily off-set by the streets north of the river not having to put up with some pretty witless behaviour.

Maybe it's becoming a Cambridge event again? If you're local, you know it's on without having to see dozens of posters in every other window.

I agree. The fair was the best it's been in years. I had a great time watching Bansheeva, The Wassanames, a couple of guys who were called Thom & something I can't remember, but I'll be happy if someone here can tell me... It was Thom playing guitar, beatboxing and his rotund friend was rapping. It was like a mix between the white stripes and jehst/dr syntax.
I also had a right old boogie to some electro swing played by smyley jay.
Apologies for the atrocious spelling of band names in this post!

A lot of people say the Fair is not the same since the fence went up and you get frisked by bouncers who check your not carrying more than a 4 pack of beer.
If you don't want that, could I suggest to those people, help set up the Fair or become stewards -then you can go in the staff entrance and avoid all the checks.

I realise that bouncers are necessary in some situations and I don't mind them being on doors to clubs and festivals per se.

What is NOT acceptable (I think) is bouncers being rude or aggressive with people as they come in, nor being uneccessarily forceful and such like (unless someone is being agressive to them). I think that rude bouncers just cause more problems and we can all think of situations where they've been out of order.

I didn't notice the bouncers being unpleasant on Saturday, so, again, the fair wins.

I thought Strawberry fair was best for some years. Personal highlights include playing with samba band static set at the start. Jo Sinnett (or Sennett) funk and soul set in the Kings Head (but I think she deserved a more peak time slot). Big Ten were very good at what they do, which is ska covers. Big Ten have also lost that skinhead element who used to follow them (and I believe playing at the Big Weekend Saturday this year). And the final electro swing and techno DJ set was excellent.
Low point, not bumping into BB!
On security I think Strawberry Fair has it about right. Especially the ban on glass bottles and restrictions to four cans (although I did bring extra wine spritzer in lime and soda bottle) And the end result is you see very few people absolutely hammered and aggressive (I don’t think I saw a single fight). I do think they could improve it slightly by banning aggressive looking dogs, which by default would mean their owners less likely to come. But to do that you might have to ban all dogs which would be a bit draconian.