PREPARATIONS for one this year’s biggest events in Romsey’s social calendar are coming together.

Thousands of people are expected to make their way to 23 venues across Romsey when it holds the annual Beggars Fair event on Saturday July 9.

While musical acts are rehearsing hard to make sure their performances for this year’s Beggars Fair are sublime, the committee have launched new t-shirts for this year’s extravaganza.

Organisers hope that hordes of people will be sporting the must-have items throughout the day as people enjoy the melodious sounds ringing out from venues across the market town.

This year’s t-shirt features their new mascot Trevor the Trout and all the names of the Beggars Fair participants who are all from within 25 miles of Romsey. 

People have until next Friday (June 23) to order their t-shirt ahead of the fair.

All day from 11am to 6pm people will be visiting pubs, bars, open-air venues wearing the new shirts.

Although the main event will finish in the evening, revellers are expected to party until closing time at the town’s various pubs and bars.

Committee chairman Delsia Bartlett spoke about the importance of the fair.

She said: “It’s a community event. It’s for everybody to enjoy.

“We’re looking at ways of promoting Romsey, events like the Beggars Fair, people come to visit the town and they come back. The hope is that Romsey will grow as a place to visit as well as a somewhere for the people to enjoy and have a community day out.”

Roads will be closed throughout the town centre from 7am to 6pm in order to allow the crowds to party to the music in The Hundred and Market Place where the main stages will be.

There will also be a Youth Festival at the War Memorial Park.

The Mayor of Romsey, John Parker, and the Mayor of Test Valley, Karen Hamilton will be opening the event at 11am.

Alcohol will not be allowed on the streets, only in the pubs and bars littered around town.

Organisers would like stewards to come forward to help with the event.

A spokesman for the event said: “There will be a small quantity of t-shirts for sale on the day (£15 each) but you would be wise to buy online in advance to get a £3 discount, the size and colour you want and ready to wear on the day itself.

“Any profit from sales goes into the Beggars Fair coffers to ensure this festival will continue to run for many more years.”

To order t-shirts and for more information visit www.beggarsfair.org.uk.