AVMM were delighted to be welcomed once again to the wonderful Sibford Applefest. This lovely annual event is part village show, part music festival and principally, I suspect, a chance for local families and friends to meet up to share news and enjoy each other’s company on a warm autumnal afternoon. Of course, the main event is the crushing of many thousands of apples and the miraculous production of hundreds of bottles of delicious freshly squeezed apple juice, some of which we sampled, along with an excellent cold collation at the end of our hour or so of dancing and horseplay.

Ryan led the side with considerable aplomb, selecting dances matched to the fitness and age levels of our dancers, whilst also encouraging members of the audience to join in where appropriate. As it happens we found some very talented dancers from near and far in the crowd, including a Cotswolds dancer from the NW of England, who had more dancing experience than anyone in the current AVMM side. With only six dancers in kit, due to some unforeseen late absences caused by illness and injuries, our team performed without anyone taking a break. Elijah once rode Charlie the horse for Shooting with a guest taking his place in the side. Otherwise it was a minimal team of just six dancers and Donald as our sole musician. To all of whom I am most grateful. Thank you to the organisers and for the invitation to dance again this year. We love this event!

Anyway, we had a lot of fun today and made plenty of new friends, some of whom we hope will join us once the 2027 practice season gets underway. Next week (10th Oct) we meet outside the White Horse Inn on North Bar Street in Banbury at 11.15am to celebrate the old Hobby Horse Festival. I suspect that, once again, we shall be the only Cotswold side dancing in a town where according to legend the Puritans once frowned on such frivolous activities. After that we dance at various locations around the town as our Squire decrees.

John Ekers