Imagine a world where jam jars wear fancy hats, people throw coconuts for fun and the credit crunch is a race involving RiceKrispie cakes. You guessed it, it’s the village fête.

Why does it survive? Because as well as strengthening the community and raising vital funds, it represents a blissful, temporary escape. We troop happily into damp fields to return to a time when the only knife crime likely to be committed is by a scone-buttering granny at the WI stand – where cakes, immune from inflation, are still 50p. We go to experience the elation of slopping a wet sponge into an innocent person’s face, or a moment of burning disappointment as the hoop somehow touches the wiggly wire.

It’s a regression that we need in today’s rat race – so look below for a fête near you. You might even win the tombola.

Avon Dassett Village Fête
Lower Field, Avon Dassett, Southam, Warks (www.stratford.gov.uk), Aug 2 & 3

Bisley Flower Show and Fête
Show Field, off Manor Street, Stroud, Glos (http://www.bisley-with-lypiatt.gov.uk), Aug 30

Box Hill Village Fair
Village Hall and adjoining field, Box Hill, Surrey (www.molevalley.gov.uk/index 01737 843644), Jul 27

Cambridge Summer Craft & Gift Fair
The Cambridge Guildhall, Market Square (www.norfolkbroads.com/entertainment/whatson), Aug 9

Cavendish Village Fête
Village Green, Cavendish, Suffolk (www.cavendish-village.co.uk), Aug 30

Cold Ash Fête
Cold Ash Recreation Ground, Acland Hall, Berks (www.coldash.org.uk), Aug 24

Cookham Dean Village Fête
Cricket Common, Cookham Dean, Berks (www.cookham.com 01628 528475), Sept 27

Cullross & Torryburn Summer Fête
Abbey House, Kirk Street, Culross, Dunfermline, Fife (www.catch-up.org.uk 01383 880349), Aug 16

Dog Show and Fête
Recreation Field, Hopton-on-Sea, Norfolk (www.norfolkbroads.com/entertainment/whatson 01502730031), Aug 17

Godstone Village Fête and Donkey Derby
Godstone Green, Surrey, (http://www.godstone.net/pages/fete.htm), Aug 25

Fleggburgh Village Fête
Fleggburgh Village Hall and Playing Fields, Norfolk (fleggburghpc.norfolkparishes.gov.uk), Aug 2

French Connection Friday Late Village Fête
V&A, Cromwell Road, SW7 (www.vam.ac.uk 020-7942 2000), Sat & Sun

Kielder Village Fête
Kielder Castle Visitor Centre, Northumberland (www.forestry.gov.uk 01434 250209), Aug 3

Little Marlow Village Fête
Little Marlow, Bucks (www.tarts.org/lmweb/fete.htm), Aug 25

Innocent Village Fête
Regent’s Park, NW1 (www.innocentvillagefete.com), Aug 2-3. Visit website for more Innocent Village Fêtes around the UK

Ipswich Cats Protection Annual Fête
St Clements Sports & Social Club, Foxhall Road, Ipswich, Suffolk (www.ipswich.cats.org.uk), Aug 17

Port Sunlight Village Fête
The Port Sunlight Village Trust, King George’s Drive, Port Sunlight, Wirral (www.thebest of.co.uk/wirral), Jul 27

Shrivenham Village Fête
Shrivenham Memorial Hall and Recreation Ground, Oxon (www.shrivenham.org/community/village_fete.html), Aug 23

Sissinghurst Village Fête
Jubilee Field, Sissinghurst, Kent (www.cranbrookvillagecouncil.co.uk), Aug 25

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