Awwww, who doesn’t love to see our town’s people packing out the beautiful Barrybados on sunny Sunday afternoon as two top events pulled our keen crowds in.
Hot of the heels of the recent Barryfornia, full of vintage vibes and seaside rides, came our annual Festival of Transport, crammed with classic cars and big old buses, just as the Victoria Barry Experience trundled down the street on one of their High Street History Tours.
So sweet to see the Vale Council’s savage cuts to our events budget hasn’t dimmed the enthusiasm of our valiant volunteers.
Fair play, the Festival of Transport was free entry for all the family with free frequent bus trips, stalls and restoration projects paused by the pandemic – blimey, remember that Covid Chaos!
I actually got caught up in the Transport happenings by accident. Popped down to Broad Street for a cheeky cooked brekkie, spotted a Bustler and there was no going back.
Remember those little yellow delights that stared the mini-bus revolution in 1986 when they were first introduced.
Sixteen seaters based on the Ford Transit chassis with their distinctive agricultural sounding engine, I loved them. Wow, talk about memory lane.
And whilst I was admitting the Bustlers, the theme of memory lane continued as the Victorian Barry Experience trundled past on their latest walk.
I’m a big fan of this husband-and-wife duo who voluntarily give up their time to deliver walks and talks to townsfolk steeped in history and heritage.
I can thoroughly recommend the Holton Road and High Street walks, and the Demon Drink Talk. Still waiting to get to the Race Riots, and looking forward to some new events this season. Please support them – you won’t be disappointed.
Our tough little town is often much-maligned, especially by those are armchair critics who often don’t live here, and think we are stuck in the seedy 90’s.
There’s plenty of history and heritage here but it’s not all nostalgia.
Nip over the Knap to the Kite Festival in June, pootle to Penarth for their Summer Festival, and of course, never forget the cool Lazarus-like Cadstock coming to you on July 22nd and 23rd.
Rock over to Romilly Park for GlastonBarry a week later (commercial rather than community I know but a chance for the town to get together) before looking forward to rainbows and unicorns at Barry Pride.
Topped off with Barry Food and Drink Festival and Barryfornia.
The super Summer Season starts here!
ENDS
Speak soon.
Mrs SVJ
(c) mrssvj.co.uk
Thank you
Sue Vincent-Jones, blogging as Mrs SVJ, is a Barry born journalist, editor, and activist. She writes about Barry – and her life in the wider world, through the eyes of a, quirky and queer, local girl done good.
Mrs SVJ, Barry’s Boldest Blogger, can be contacted here.