Green Man Day.

Green Man Day in Pilton was not blessed with the best of weather. We arrived in a shower during the afternoon but luckily the rain soon cleared and it was overcast but dry for the rest of the time. Pilton was granted a market and festival day by charter from Edward III in 1344. The present festival which includes a Green Man parade with lots of medieval characters, started 21 years ago.

About 3,000 local people come to wander up and down Pilton High Street which is lined with stalls. Most of the stall holders dress in medieval costume. There is plenty of entertainment at the festival, bands of course but also magicians, buskers and this pair of exuberant story tellers.

There are many weird and colourful characters around.

The stalls are either craft or charity stalls. This stall was selling interesting felted items, bags, purses and colourful jewellery.

The haze over the middle of the street came from one of many pavement food vendors providing burgers to the starving masses. This is actually outside a very good fish and chip shop and I treated myself to some cod, (no chips). I'd left Peter down at The Reform partaking of the beer festival. There are 2 pubs and beer drinking plays a large part of the festival.

The festival overflows into Rotary Gardens where there were more craft displays and demonstrations.

And of course more beer drinking.

Don't ask !

There were 3 music stages so that you could have music with your drinking and socialising. There was a very different demographic to this festival compared with the other festivals we go to which are more music based. Green Man is definitely a social occasion and looking about there were many of Barnstaple's rougher element around and a lot of cigarette smoking which I'm so not used to. Admittedly the band playing were a good local group, The Liquidators, who play Ska. Peter did come and join me outside to listen to the music before we left for home. I had been quite happy wandering up and down on my own every now and then hearing little voices saying 'Hello Mrs M'. The festival is supposed to end at 5.00 when the road is reopened to traffic but I have been assured that the partying goes on till late.

Look, Green beer glasses.
I had several phone calls from Linas who was trying to organise a trip back home from Plymouth. Latest is that he is still in Plymouth and won't be back till tomorrow or Monday. Romas also phoned asking to be picked up from the bus station so I had to drive back into town to collect him.