Bartlett's Banbury Fair fills gap in summer lineup

Three years ago Bartlett's venerable SummerFest faded away.

For eight years the Bartlett Chamber of Commerce held the fest, which brought together family fun and provided an economic boost to downtown businesses.

However, development in downtown Bartlett left the festival without a suitable plot. SummerFest was held at Devon Avenue and South Bartlett Road, but organizers moved the event to Main Street Plaza and Bartlett Park when crews in 2005 finished building the CVS/Pharmacy on the original site. The last two years of the fest lacked a carnival, as the parcel wasn't large enough. Lacking the big draw of the carnival, fest organizers struggled, and decided to take a hiatus.

Trying to fill the void, Bruce Suffern, co-founder of Banbury Fair, resurrected his Banbury Fest, which will again be held starting on Friday. Banbury Fest had been around before SummerFest, but once the chamber decided to promote its fest, having the two similar events seemed redundant.

This year, Banbury Fair, will celebrate its 25th year, which gives this year's festival an added edge. Organizers added an extra night of events on Friday, as the fest normally only took place on Saturday and Sunday. A DJ, floor vendors and music are part of the fun.

Banbury Fair's Closet Boutique fashion show will also take place on Friday night. Other activities are a craft fair, flea market, an inflatable slide and face-painting.

Banbury Fair is one of downtown's unique businesses with an ice-cream parlor, retail store and petting zoo. Its building at 211 W. Railroad Ave. was built in 1892.

Suffern said he's secured about 15 local businesses as sponsors, with the promise that perhaps as early as next year Bartlett could see the return of SummerFest.

"The fact of the matter is when we had SummerFest we had three times the normal in terms of businesses," he said. "Not having SummerFest really hurts the economy of downtown."

Bringing back SummerFest isn't guaranteed, but Suffern said local businesses will discuss this in the coming months and hopefully by next year it will return.

Banbury Fair

When: 7 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday

Where: Banbury Fair, 275 W. Railroad Ave. in Bartlett

Info: (630) 837-1677 or (630) 837-1727 or www.banburyfair.com