THE annual St Matthew’s Fair heralded one of the most exciting times of the year in Bridgwater, carnival season.

Our photographer was there to capture the fun on the opening day.

The event is organised by the Showman’s Guild with Sedgemoor District Council organising the market elements. As in previous years the fair attracted crowds from far afield maintaining its reputation as the largest fair in the South West with roughly 40,000 visitors attending each year.

It dates back to the Charter of King John and is now almost 800 years old, the last 600 years of which have been spent on St Matthew’s Field.

The Charter decreed that the four-day fair was to start annually on the last Wednesday in September.

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