In the Spotlight: The Camden Green Fair
by Anya Driscoll on 3 June 2010This Sunday, Regent’s Park is playing host to the Camden Green Fair. A massive celebration of Londons independent environmental projects, it takes the form of an old fashioned village fete with stalls, games, musical performances and activities for all the family. We sat down with volunteer marketing manager Ro Greene to find out more.
So how did the Camden Green Fair come about?
The Green Fair was started eighteen years ago in a Camden Town archway by some really enthusiastic local people who just wanted to celebrate being green in London. It began with only about two hundred people, but this year we expect over twenty five thousand people to attend! It’s great that what started as a local community gathering has now become a London-wide event, as it shows how committed Londoners are to the environment and their city.
How did you personally get involved with the fair?
When I left university I really wanted to get a job that helped conserve the environment, as it’s a cause I think is incredibly important, so when I found out I could do this and support my local community in North London at the same time, I went for it!
What sort of events will be happening at the fair?
Well I’m looking forward to the burlesque Morris Dancing from the Belles of London and already have my eye on a few things in the Ethical Fashion area, but the village games looks to be a highlight: egg and spoon races, a tug of war, three legged races and a good spot of welly wangling will be going down.
Welly Wangling?
Yes, where you see how far you can throw a Wellington boot! It appears to be a unique pastime of the country-dwelling Brit; we’ve been having practise runs in the office and I’ve discovered I may have a hidden talent! All the games will have prizes and they’ll be handed out by Miss Earth, England’s very own environmental beauty queen.
Sounds like fun! So as you clearly care deeply about environmental issues, what do you think the most pressing eco problems facing Londoners today are?
I think we really need to reduce our transport emissions. The cycle hire scheme started by the Mayor is a great start, but London’s roads need to be made safer if more people are going to make cycling a part of their life, especially commuters.
At the Camden Green Fair, as well as the games and stalls, we will be running talks on loads of green stuff that every Londoner can be part of, from cycling to recycling to urban bee-keeping.
Do you take care to shop responsibly?
Of course! I like to visit independent local shops, as they are such a vital part of any community. I’m lucky, because in Crouch End, where I live, we have loads of great independent shops still, such as the Haelan Centre, a couple of great fruit and vegetable places that have been competing over the price of carrots for donkeys years and a surprising amount of clothes boutiques.
For more details of the Camden Green Fair, check out the video below.
Photo courtesy of Ro Greene used under a Creative Commons License





