Woodford Feast is celebrated on the second Sunday after June 29th the Feast of St.Mary The Virgin - the Patron Saint of the Church. The date this year is 11th July. Celebrations usually commence with a Fete on the Saturday on the village green and a Flower Festival in the Church with teas being served. Full details can be found on this website programme page.

At one up to the last war, the Feast was a 2-day holiday for local industry and the schools in the village - in fact it was a 2-day school holiday until 1965.Before that, according to the schools 1860 logbog,it was a week long holiday,this continued until 1917 when it became two days.The highlight was a sports day and swimming gala with teas served on the Rectory lawns during the 2-day festival. Visitors came from far and wide to join in the celebrations. On Feast Sunday evening there was a concert given by a local brass or silver band when the entire village turned out to listen. It was an occasion when families all met up and wore their 'Sunday Best'. When the Feast was at its peak the fair was not allowed to set up on the village green until after the evening Church Sevice, however it was always erected in time to open on the Monday evening. At this time the fair was always for just 2 days with the green being cleared by the time children went back to school on the Wednesday. Go to http:/www.woodfordpc.co.uk/feast.htm for more information.

John Thurstons Family Funfair have been coming at Feast time for decades opening on the village green. Pictured below is the Dodgem Track on which Songs of Praise will be held. Woodford is unique in that it is probably the only village in Northamptonshire still to have a Feast Fair set up on the village green. John Bugg who presents the Fair on behalf of John Thurstons Fairs has taken his rides all over Europe including The Channel Islands, Malta and Cyprus. He has also taken them to the Near and Far East, in fact some years ago his Dodgem Track was damaged in the Middle East whilst being loaded for the return to England. He was without the ride for the entire travelling season.
It is to retain this tradition that Woodford is still visited by such an internationally renowned travelling fair and deserves and needs your support. During the winter an ice rink is traveled. Go to www.amazingice.co.uk ##

For more information on St. Mary's Church go to www.nenevalleychurches.org