For many years of working in and around fairs and festivals it had been an intention to create a small event. In 2007 Medley Productions created and mangaged the Green Area at Eastern Haze Festival.

After this the need for a small green event in East Anglia was felt by many, so by the following year Hulver Farm had been secured as a venue for Green Man Fayre. This is a beautiful small farm near Bungay, that plays host to a number of camps and weekends. It was a beautiful and brilliant event, good fun, largely solar-powered, for 500 people and with a very environmentally sensitive approach.

Green Man Fayre turned out to be a massive undertaking, and so was to have been a "one off". By December the calls for a repeat performance had not abated (I still meet people who tell me they have never been to a better event!) and I set about finding a new site as a larger site was required. The site we have now is brilliant, and the team that manage it are a pleasure to work with, so here's to the future!

In 2009, once the estate was secured word was put out to publicise the event; it rapidly became apparent that we were running late. Some co-ordinators were not available, many bands were booked up elsewhere, the public had already arranged their holidays, stewards were few and far between and the finances, which are never great at small events, became downright scary. There was no sensible choice but for me to pull the plug. Ticket refunds were sent out, apologies and compensations were made, and I thought it likely that this was the end of the chapter. The financial loss was a blow, but it was the months of hard work and the loss of the event that I rued.

The decision to go ahead for 2010 was made in July 2009, when Medley Productions took it's regular outfit down to the Big Green Gathering which was cancelled at the last minute. The loss of the Big Green Gathering reminded me why Harlequin Fayre has to go ahead - so people can get together and have a damn good time, and meet a few new faces too.

The team that existed for Green Man Fayre has evolved a lot, and now includes co-ordinators for stewards, event safety, decor, bar, stalls, performers, kids area, healing glade, sustainable futures, recycling, and last but far from least, the toilets, with the admin and overview being handled by myself. To rightfully include all the individual stewards, carpenters, sound desk men and the many other roles brings the total to about 120 people, and by the time performers, contractors, caterers and stallholders are included the number is pushing 400. It makes for a carefully choreographed show, which holds together in the main because of people's dedication to seeing this happen.

The artwork for Green Man Fayre has been retained for Harlequin Fayre. It came from a woodburner made in the '70's, when it seems life held different challenges and events in East Anglia were expressed through the Albion Fayres, which many of us went to. The core values of Harlequin Fayre includes a continuation of the approach of the small fairs of East Anglia.

The whole project is financed by Medley Productions, and providing all the tickets sell it will break even, thogh that leaves no room for wages. It's done for the love of it, and because if we don't, who will?

It has been sung "I'm not trying to change the world, I'm not looking for New England..." This event is about creating a small colourful and fun event that really works for all of us.

To the Future!