It battered down with rain, but people from all over the country attended the new Pembroke Horse Fair, a free community event held on the Monkton Community Centre field and featuring a spectacular procession through the town’s Main Street.

Pembroke Street Pastors paid tribute to Charlie Price for a “wonderful event”. “As local Street Pastors we had lots of conversations with friends old and new,” they said. “Always here to support our local community even if we were blamed for bringing the rain!”

While the gathering was informal in nature, it was an opportunity to celebrate community spirit, admire the beautiful horses and mark the beginning of what could become a new local tradition.

Promoted simply as the Pembroke Fair, the occasion on Saturday and Sunday, August 30 was open to anyone who wished to take part and drew interest from across the area. It offered a chance for families, friends, and visitors to enjoy a lively day together, despite inclement weather threatening the fair’s bonhomie, not to mention the anchoring of the stalls.

Visiting the fair with his daughter, County Councillor for Pembroke Monkton & St Mary South Aaron Carey observed that the event was “very well organised”, with “lots of treats on offer, lots of horses to see and other stalls too.”

Pembrokeshire County Council - and some locals - had anticipated the travellers’ fair with misgivings. A council statement issued the previous week stated:

“The Council is aware of the proposed horse fair to be run on August 30 at Monkton,” said a spokesperson.

“No permission has been granted for this event to take place on Council land.

“We have written to the organiser setting out our concerns and making clear that they must ensure any event is managed safely and responsibly.

“We will monitor the situation closely and work with our partners to minimise disruption to the community.”

However, at a packed public meeting in Monkton, organiser Charlie Price left residents reassured, explaining that the event was not just for the travellers but for the whole of Monkton, where there is a strong sense of community. He invited the Mayor of Pembroke - who would have liked to have attended had it not been for a family engagement - and stressed that the Pembroke Fair was not for personal profit, but a charity event for the community.

The fair on Saturday raised funds for local cause Dezza’s Cabin and, despite expectations to the contrary, proved to be a trouble-free event, leaving the field tidy and free of litter.

Celebrations continued the following day with a traditional ride-out through Pembroke, and this time the sun came out to create quite a spectacle as dozens of horses and carts processed past the Castle and through the town’s historic streets.

“Not even the Prime Minister himself could stop this event,” Charlie joked, echoing the travelling community’s strength of support for keeping the horse fair tradition alive in Pembroke. “I want this to be an annual event. I want to see it grow and bring everyone together.”