Ambleside Flower Festival 2000

Arrived late on the scene on the Friday evening before the show to deliver the television and video recorder which plays recordings of propagation by some of our top growers nationally. To my surprise found plenty of Dahlias being set up by Jack Gott, Jimmy Heggy, and Clive Keighley, Fred Currie was also there “overseeing”. Surprised because I thought there would be a shortage of blooms, the weather had not been so good. Saturday I got there bright and early as promised, as I entered the marquee the show of Dahlias was stunning the lads had done a job well done. Ambleside has been one of our venues now for a few seasons and I have always enjoyed the crack with the lads and the occasional lassie! As usual making good friends with other societies displaying their favorite flower. The show was very busy with people from all walks of life visiting the site, this done us no harm at all, in the past we have had the pleasure of Americans, Australians, Canadians, I can go on, this year I had the pleasure of trying to convert a Malaysian student to which Jimmy Heggy found quite amusing listening in to his broken English, we were certainly kept busy spreading the word. It was not till later that we learned that we had won a gold medal certificate for our efforts, congratulations to all that were involved no matter how little, every little bit helps make success. the show its self is quite a attractive show being in the lake district brings in a lot of tourists as you might have gathered from earlier comments, the sound of the old fairground barrel organ greets you as you enter the ground, gives you that old fashion feel “to all that can remember” the marquee is well laid out allowing one to walk through one area to the next under cover, being in Lakeland this is a good idea. Also on site are several arts and crafts being displayed and demonstrated, besides it own local show with in the show. On the last day we had a good turn out to dismantle the golden stand still looking majestic as ever, and as usual people wanting to take our beautiful Dahlias home with them, and that was the end of a beautiful and successful weekend staged by the North west Dahlia Society.