Seasonal family fun at the harbour begins with a bang

Friday, 03 August 2012

Deputy Mayor, Clr. Mrs. Caroline Thomas, Mace Bearers, and Rotarian Peter Oeppen.

The Vagrants Crew.

Seren Irish Dancers.

Last Sunday, the first of this summer’s ‘Spectaculars’ was held at Tenby Harbour. The Rotary Club of Tenby organised the day and it was a resounding success, enjoyed by thousands of visitors and locals.
The event was opened by Deputy Mayor, Clr. Mrs. Caroline Thomas, who was accompanied by Mace Bearers John Morgan and Robin Scanlon. They had enjoyed a ride to the harbour on Steven Phillip’s horse-drawn carriage and were joined by Swansea family Neil and Claire Rees with daughters Olivia (nine) and Charlie (four) who were the ‘winners’ of the competition announced in last week’s Observer.
The afternoon’s first entertainment were the Seren Irish Dancers. Masterminded by Cheryl Clarke, the youngsters, aged four to 18, are getting better every year. Their hard work is paying off and their fine performance was thoroughly enjoyed by the large appreciative audience.
Next up were evergreen sea shanty singers, The Vagrance Crew. They are a well-known and experienced group. Having recently returned from a festival in Falmouth, they will shortly be heading for Holland and the European Sea Shanty Championships. The Vagrance Crew’s repertoire of traditional sailors’ ballads insured that those present remained in a jovial mood.
Third on stage were Wings Over Pembrokeshire, a handful of very competent local musicians who assist young adults with learning difficulties from all over the county, to express themselves through music. Wings is an acronym of With Inclusion Nobody Gets Sidelined. The formula is fantastic and it works. The crowd loved the wonderful show.
Tenby’s best ever-known band, The Frantic Five, was the penultimate act and they never ever let anyone down. Since they reformed specifically for charity gigs, The Frantic Five has assisted in raising over £174,000 for worthy causes. A magnificent achievement. Their rendition of well-known songs from the past five decades kept the large crowd rocking.
The evening’s musical entertainment culminated with Symphony Sid and The Swing Kings, a very slick eight-piece band incorporating a fabulous brass section. The Swing Kings are another favourite with the Tenby regulars. Their professional performance was again eclectic and energetic. The buoyant audience was delighted.
As usual, the finale of the superb afternoon and evening was the stunning fireworks display from the end of the pier. Many holidaymakers commented that, except on the television, they had never before witnessed such a show of pyrotechnics.
In addition to the music, Tenby Rotary Club laid on plenty of other entertainment, especially for the children. A number of charities had stalls and were very pleased with the day’s takings. An excellent selection of food and beverage was also available.
Last week’s was the first of five consecutive Sunday Family Fun at the Harbour events organised by three of the town’s service organisations, namely the Rotary Club, Round Table and The Lions.
Each of these clubs appreciate that the events may cause some disturbance for those living around the harbour. However, the entertainment is enjoyed by many Tenby residents, as well as tourists. Furthermore, a number of nearby businesses also benefit from the events. Nevertheless, most importantly, the events are the source of many thousands of pounds which are raised for charity. Each year, numerous local organisations benefit from fundraising donated by the Rotary Club, Round Table and The Lions. In times of recession, such donations are most welcome.

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