THE HAT FAIR is just a few days away and organisers are keen for guests to enjoy the event despite the festival being smaller than normal. 

Andrew Loretto, Hat Fair director, confirmed that, despite Play to the Crowd no longer receiving funding from Arts Council England (ACE), the event will have 'no compromise on quality'. 

He said: “One of the things I was very clear about was - yes it’s a slightly smaller footprint in the city centre on the Friday and the Saturday and we’re not doing the Sunday – was to keep the range and the quality and the diversity of the work.

"That was really important to me that we absolutely have a cast iron commitment to our local communities and to engaging those voices that we should be celebrating from all of our communities.

"It is important that people coming to the Hat Fair, feel like it is the Hat Fair."

Gobbledogook Theatre, which has worked with Play to the Crowd periodically for 10 years, is one of the companies which will be performing at the Hat Fair, bringing an act called The High Priestess of Pop and the Disco Druids.

READ MORE: Road closures for truncated Winchester Hat Fair

Hampshire Chronicle: Gobbledegook Theatre is bringing its show The High Priestess of Pop and the Disco Druids to the Hat FairGobbledegook Theatre is bringing its show The High Priestess of Pop and the Disco Druids to the Hat Fair (Image: Gobbledegook Theatre)Company director Lorna Rees said: “I know how amazing Hat Fair is, and it’s really important nationally, and to know that’s on our doorstep, that’s in Winchester and is happening is so exciting.

“It really does have a national importance for the UK, so we’re super excited, and suffice to say it’s an amazing party.

"The whole city centre gets taken over by joyful art and what an amazing thing to be part of.”

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Hat Fair organisers have big hopes for next year, which will be the 50th anniversary of the festival. 

Mr Loretto said: “We have been in close conversation with our colleagues at ACE about the future and we are looking to the 50th birthday of Hat Fair in 2024, because the first Winchester Hat Fair was 1974.

“With the 50th birthday of Hat Fair, we are very much seeking to stage a bigger festival again, subject to gaining all the appropriate funding from various sources including ACE, who are very supportive.

“So, we are planning to use the 50th Hat Fair to look back and look forwards and look up, very much celebrate the past but not with a sense of nostalgia, it’s celebrating and honouring the past while looking forwards to the next 50 years of Hat Fair.”