History of Onchan
Modern Onchan Picture Gallery

Stallholders put the finishing touches to their stalls before the crowds arrive to enjoy the sunshine and the entertainment.

Last minute checking of timetables and instructions with half an hour to go.

Left to right: Peter Kelly event organiser, Ernie Thorn steward, June Kelly chief announcer and Tina Stowell, chairman's wife.

Customers start to arrive and here are seen commencing to purchase from Jean Kewley's stall where she was raising money for John Riley's Namaste Children's House and the Christmas Shoe Box Appeal charities. 

She sold garden plants and homemade garden preserves.  With donations she made £260 to divide equally between the two charities.

The St Vincent de Paul Society from St Anthony's Church have been helping the needy of Onchan, irrespective of their believes, for many years.  Their normal source of income is a collecting box outside church on a Sunday but the fair gave them the chance to increase their income by about £120 thanks to a bric-a-brac stall manned by members.

The Village Green lent itself to everyone's needs with both light and shade to suit the fair skinned or the sun worshipper. 

Here families gather for the beginning of the Punch and Judy show whilst some children are still on the bouncy castle.

It was time to meet old friends who you have not seen since the last fair in 2007. 

Refreshments were served on the forecourt of Haydn Minay's Garage by ladies from St Peter's and the Methodist Churches.  Haydn also arranged a display of vintage cars on the other half of the forecourt.

The Rotary Club of Onchan became very involved with this year's fair and made a series of games which had their first public appearance on this occasion. 

Here Chairman of the Commissioners, Brian Stowell, takes a turn in the stocks for the children.

A direct hit with a wet sponge and cries of excitement from the youngsters at the throwing end.

Another traditional fairground stall provided by the Rotary Club of Onchan was the coconut shy which proved very popular.

Winners however did not receive the coconut but a teddy bear.

Vice Chairman June Kelly returns having very bravely volunteered to go in the stocks and have wet sponges thrown at her. 

Fortunately the sunny day helped to dry her hair on her way back to make the final announcements.

Punch pops out and poses for the camera whilst the children are spellbound and ready to shout "He's behind you". 

The Reverend Ken Elworthy brought Punch,  Judy and their friends with him as he has done for many years at fairs held on The Village Green, Nivison Stadium and Port Jack Glen.

The crowds were puzzled by the empty Rolls Royce passing through but perhaps not as much as the driver who was passing through Onchan on his way from another wedding only to be directed down Church Road by a police officer who not surprisingly thought it was the bridesmaids in a vintage Rolls and a minute before time.

Three of the bridesmaids then passed down the road in a Rolls that wasn't quite as vintage as the previous car but they enjoyed the experience of a lined route and returned the waves of the crowd.

And finally the bride came down the road accompanied by His Excellency who gave her away on behalf of her father in Australia who was too ill to travel.  The Rolls was kindly lent by Bob Ridings and was at one time owned by Dodi Al Fayed's uncle. 

The Onchan Silver Band played as all the wedding vehicles came down the road starting with a vintage Isle of Man Road Services double decker bus full of wedding guests, mainly those who had come to the Island for the occasion but also including some local guests.