Great Expectations played to a packed house last Saturday, despite the freezing wind, with even the neglected Landgate (photographed below) playing its part as the backdrop for the projected message “Merry Christmas Rye”. The magic had indeed been put back into Christmas .
As the Mayor Cllr Bernardine Fiddimore told the Town Council earlier that week, “the organisers have worked their socks off, and now we need all hands on deck”. And all hands were on deck throughout out a long and cold and windy day, which still did not put off all those who took part and attended.
There were lots of signs and maps everywhere, including barriers, with even a large sign on the parking meter in the Strand saying “all vehicles must be moved by 5:30pm Friday”. That did not stop one driver however from staying parked overnight just where the ice rink was due to go – and frantic emails and Facebook appeals failed to trace him – until he appeared around 8am. “He was mortified” said one of the stage staff. [Other comments are not repeatable, Editor]
However the ice rink (left) did eventually get up in time, despite temporarily blocking up a shop’s doorway, and causing the stage and two stalls to be not quite where they were meant to be, which then led to problems with the sound from the generator  – but it was all a learning curve for a brand new committee who had worked very hard over many months to involve nearly everyone in town in the project.
Dickensian costumes were everywhere, even if there was the occasional confusion. A fracas in the middle of the procession proved to be Bill Sykes, Fagin and the Artful Dodger simply getting into role – and costumes also popped up in bars, shops and on various charity stalls.
Father Christmas arrived on schedule, courtesy of the Harbourmaster’s boat and with his predecessor mastering it alongside Strand Quay. The reindeer attracted much attention (though reported AWOL – Absent Without Leave – earlier on) and both Father Christmas and the reindeer
starred in the Christmas procession which nearly had to fight its way down the High Street – though the Bonfire Society’s dragon (on loan for the event) helped clear the path as how far it’s flames can flare is always uncertain, and people keep their distance.
The Mayor however was safely seated in the fire engine, no doubt asking if they were going to deliver any presents to her on Christmas Day, before she arrived at the George to wish winners well, turn on lights and generally herd people towards the carol service finale in St Mary’s (complete with snow machine).
The town was packed and visitors were having to be tea-spooned into the Standard where Phil Law and Reg Marchant were doing an afternoon concert, well attended by Rye News volunteers looking for warming drinks, and all sorts of familiar faces including Mayor elect Jonathan Breeds were popping up in and around stalls and other attractions around the town.
The day was also a reminder that Christmas is getting alarmingly near and many in the crowd appeared to have been shopping for presents and cards and the shops were pulling in visitors too with drinks, nibbles, costumes and other varied attractions – including their lighted windows as darkness fell.
However the day was not without its culture too with a special workshop laid on by Richard Adams whose Christmassy paintings had done a great job of publicising the event, craft and artisan fairs in Rye Club and the Conduit Hill Community Centre, pottery down at Rope Walk, and various book signings and talks.
The parked car down at the Strand meant the stage was not quite ready on time, but the Music Well’s choir carried on off-stage and attracted a sizeable crowd. However next year’s event might need dog marshals as well as people marshals. The dogs though did appear better dressed for the weather than the people (even if, for once, they could not squeeze into The Standard, where they (dogs, not children) can on occasion outnumber the drinkers. This time though it was a close run event between children and drinkers).
By the end of a long windy windy day (where some stalls had to be nailed down before they took off) Acting Up In Rye were having trouble (at the end of a long cold day) finding an audience, but the Cheeky Girls (right) did not have that problem though much earlier, and the bare chested dancers from the Rye Dance Centre deserved a medal for performing beyond all reasonable expectations. There was a stall nearby though selling salmon laced with whisky, great for cold climates – and one of the joys of shopping is buying for yourself, and starting Christmas dinner on the right foot.
As the Town Hall launches a litter crusade in the New Year it seems inappropriate to say that the High Street was littered with charities, but it was. These they included Fair Trade, Demelza, Churches Together with the Salvation Army band (left) cannoning out some carols (as there were two Canons and various Reverends present), Rotary, the sea cadets, Rye Scouts, and the museum (with its grotto, sold out in advance like the very popular ice rink, and the Adams’ workshop) as well as various other carol singers and charities.
And, away from the all the noise and bustle, there was another part of Christmas, also quite full of visitors – the medieval church of St Mary’s on top of the hill, with two trees inside – one for St Michael’s Hospice – and a lot of candles and subdued lighting. And it was also surprisingly quiet compared to the town, despite the roar from the industrial heater temporarily replacing the flue-less boiler (high winds to blame) , and the light and dark made it seem a magic place for visitors sitting quietly.
But that was not to last. The procession soon wound round the town from the station with the lights and noise on Hilders Cliff strongly contrasting with the deep dark silence of Romney Marsh close by before everyone eventually poured up Lion Street towards St Mary’s – quite possibly not needing the “Wall of Sound” choir to accompany them, though they did. By then exhaustion had set in for some though (see dog, right).
And it was not over yet as hardier souls (perhaps childless, or at least free of younger children) stayed on to enjoy the music in various pubs in and around Rye. And now all that’s left to do is:
- to write those cards – and post them
- buy the presents, and wrap them
- sort out the decorations and lightbulbs, if you have not already done so
- buy the food
- and maybe some drink ;
- and do the washing (have we got enough sheets ?)
- and make a cake
- and pluck the turkey
- and a Happy Christmas to you, one and all, from Rye News.
Main photo and Landgate from “christmasinrye” website. Other photos: Seana Lanigan and John Minter
Image Credits: Jenny Sinclair , John Minter .