Scarborough Fair Needs a New Festival Director

Wednesday, 1 March 2023 12:18

By Matthew Pells

Plans to bring back The Scarborough Fair for the first time in 235 years have suffered a setback with the announcement that recently appointed festival director, David Edmunds, wont be taking up the role.

The plans for The Scarborough Fair aim to create a festival that will bring people together on the Yorkshire coast, attract investment, enhance Scarborough’s profile and draw curious audiences from across the local area, the region and beyond.

David Edmunds was announced as the new Festival Director in January and was expected to start in the role this month.

Janet Deacon, Scarborough Borough Council head of tourism and culture, said:

“We are disappointed to announce that for personal reasons David Edmunds can no longer take up the role of festival director of The Scarborough Fair, which he was originally due to do from the beginning of March.

“While David’s decision is an unexpected set back, we are already looking into what our next steps should be to secure the necessary leadership the festival needs.

“Meanwhile the team working on the development of the fair’s ambitious and innovative creative programme continues uninterrupted.”

Established under Royal Charter in 1253, the original Scarborough Fair drew merchants from as far away as the Ottoman Empire to ‘sell goods of true worth’ to hundreds of visitors each August and September. The fair survived for 430 years, taking place for the last time in 1788.

Made possible with investment from the government’s Towns Fund, The Scarborough Fair is a project of Scarborough Borough Council, working in partnership with the public and private sectors and initiated following extensive consultation with local residents, businesses and community organisations.