Baldock Events
Several events take place in Baldock throughout the year. The largest three are the Festival, the Charter fair and the Balstock music festival.
- Baldock Festival
The Baldock Festival is a cultural festival which started in 1983 and takes place on the first weekend in May. The festival consists of numerous events throughout the town and the local area, such as museum trips, a barn dance, car treasure hunt, clairvoyance evening, cricket match, comedy sketches, family quiz night, mystery tour, open gardens, history talks, and several music events, some of which feature local bands. The festival culminates in the Medieval Street Fair held in the historic High Street, on the second and final weekend where many stallholders dress in clothing of the era and help to portray what life was like in the medieval town.
In parallel, the Baldock Beer Festival takes place during the first weekend where local and national real ales, real ciders and continental lagers may be sampled. There is also children's entertainment and often local bands playing.
- Baldock Charter Fair
Baldock's Charter fair dates back to 1199, when King John granted to the Templars the right of holding a yearly fair at Baldock on St. Matthew's Day and for four days following. This would mean the original fair was held on 21–25 September, but with the Calendar reform of 1752 the dates are now 2, 3 and 4 October. Today the principal part of the fair is a visiting Amusement Fair which sets up in the High Street.
- Balstock
The Balstock Festival is now in its seventh year having grown from a small event held in one pub, to a three day event featuring more than 100 bands held in a number of venues across the town. It is now Hertfordshires biggest free music festival with all proceeds going to a nominated charity. In 2011, that charity was the restoration of the town's 13th century St Marys church tower. The 2012 festival has resulted in some controversy with a dispute between the organisers of the festival and the Performing Rights Society
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“All the events which make the annals of the nations are but the shadows of our private experiences.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)