Barnes Fair
Barnes Fair is the largest community event in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Held on the second Saturday of July, the fair attracts around fifteen thousand visitors to Barnes Green for a day of stalls, vintage fairground rides, live music, and food from local restaurants. All proceeds support the Barnes Community Association and its projects across the neighbourhood.
History
Magistrates banned fairs on Barnes Green in 1800, and for 175 years there were none. When the Barnes Community Association (BCA) was formed in 1974 – originally to save Rose House on the High Street from demolition and replacement by a supermarket – one of its first acts was to revive the tradition. The first new Barnes Fair was held in 1975, and it has taken place nearly every year since, with exceptions including the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Barnes Community Association
The BCA is a registered charity (no. 1156379) based at Rose House, 70 Barnes High Street – a Grade II listed seventeenth-century pink-painted former inn. Since the 1970s the BCA has won several local campaigns, including preventing the demolition of The Homestead beside St Mary’s Church and stopping the Ringway 2 expressway proposal, which would have cut Barnes in two.
What to Expect
The fair features over three hundred stalls selling fashion, jewellery, gifts, homeware, handmade crafts, and food. Two performance stages host live music and family entertainment throughout the day. Traditional vintage rides include:
- Steam-powered Gallopers carousel
- Helter skelter
- Swingboats
- A real fire engine for children to climb aboard
Fundraising and Community Impact
The money raised at Barnes Fair supports BCA staff, the maintenance of Rose House, and many community projects. Crucially, fair proceeds also help maintain Barnes Pond. When the pond mysteriously drained in April 2001, the BCA launched a £200,000 appeal – supplemented by a £60,000 council grant and expert advice from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust – to reline and restore it. The pond was refilled in April 2003 and continues to be partly maintained through fair funds.
Other BCA Events
The BCA organises two other annual events on Barnes Green:
- Barnes Food Fair (mid-September) – an established fixture on the south-west London foodie calendar, held in and around a large marquee
- Barnes Christmas Festival (early to mid-December) – a fortnight of festive activities including late-night shopping, funfair rides, Santa’s Grotto at Rose House, carol singing, the BCA Turkey Run, and Festive Friday
Practical Information
- When: Second Saturday of July, 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
- Where: Barnes Green, SW13
- Entry: Free
- Contact: Barnes Community Association, 020 8878 2359, info@barnes-ca.org
Sources
- Barnes Fair – Barnes Community Association
- About the BCA – Barnes Community Association
- Barnes Pond – Barnes Community Association
- BCA Barnes Fair – VisitRichmond