There was plenty of fun to be had at the 2024 Tadley Treacle Fair organised by the Loddon Valley Lions Club
Thousands of people flocked to Tadley on the weekend to take part in the town’s most highly-anticipated annual event.
The 2024 edition of the Tadley Treacle Fair took place on Saunders Field on Sunday (June 2).
Members of the Loddon Valley Lions Club spent the entire week running up to the event doing various jobs to set up the field in cold temperatures and sometimes even torrential rain.
However, the sun shone on North Hampshire throughout the whole of Sunday, bringing scores of punters through the gates to partake in carnival games, watch some spectacular arena displays and enjoy plenty of locally-sourced food and drink.
Arena highlights included Tadley-based youth dance company Dance Phaze, the countryside-focused Dog and Duck Show, a vintage vehicle display and the Tigers Children's Motorcycle Display Team, an elite squad of stunt drivers that are aged between five and 16.
Alongside the arena there was a large marquee housing a beer tent, craft sellers and a Loddon Valley Lions tea stall which sold homemade cakes.
The Lions Tombola stall had 390 prizes all donated by the public. The stall sold out in less than three hours making £561 profit for the charity.
There were also various trade and charity stands selling their goods and a big top which has performers teaching youngsters and adults circus skills.
A Loddon Valley Lions Club spokesperson said: “The Tadley Treacle Fair takes months of planning and there was lots of positive feedback from people when exiting at 4pm already looking forward to next year's event.
“All profits from this event will be used to help groups, individuals and good causes in our local area.”
The Adventure Ranger Corp Tadley unit were present helping with car parking, along with a small army of Lions members, family and friends who did various jobs during the day and helped with the big clear up afterwards.
The Treacle Fair derives its name from a legend dating back to the late 19th century, which claims that there were treacle mines located in the village, and until well into the 20th century the locals were referred to as Tadley treacle miners.
It is the Loddon Valley Lion Club’s main fundraiser, alongside its Father Christmas tour every winter.
The club has asked anyone who might be interested in joining and helping organise the fair next year to contact the membership chairman Alan Goddard at alan.goddard@loddonvalleylions.org or visit the Loddon Valley Lion Club’s Facebook page.
