Great Dorset Steam Fair 'a big success' (From Bournemouth Echo)

Great Dorset Steam Fair 'a big success'

10:30am Monday 6th September 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(4)

THE 2010 Great Dorset Steam Fair has been hailed as a huge success.

The event at Tarrant Hinton, near Blandford, came to a conclusion on Sunday after five days of visitors flocking to the 600-acre showground.

It was the first show since founder Michael Oliver passed away last year and son Martin said: “It’s been a difficult year and the show has opened up the wounds a little bit. The memorial service for dad on Friday was a special occasion and very emotional.

“I’m proud that we’ve put on a show that dad would have been proud of.”

View all our pictures of the Great Dorset Steam Fair

Click the link at the bottom of this story

Martin said early indications were that visitor numbers had matched those of the 40th anniversary event two years ago, in the region of 217,000 people.

He added: “We’ve been so lucky with the weather. In the week before things were looking pretty dire – it’s made such a difference.”

The festival-style event, which started last Wednesday, is now the biggest steam and vintage show in the world and has continued to expand.

Visitors, who came from as far away as Holland this year, enjoyed 200 working steam engines as well as 2,000 other working exhibits, a fun fair, vintage vehicles, working animals and hundreds of trade stands.