Saddle up for historical horse fair commemorations

A week of events will commemorate what was said to be the largest horse fair in the world.

The Horncastle Horse Fair was at its height in the mid-19th Century but came to an end in 1948.

A reimagined event was introduced in 2023, which includes a celebration of arts and culture.

This year's Horncastle Horse Fair takes place on 8 August, with a week of horse-themed fringe activities leading up to it.

According to the Horncastle Civic Society, dealers used to travel from all over the world to buy the best bred horses at the fair, including Lottery, which won the Grand National in 1839.

The introduction of motor vehicles led to the fair's gradual decline.

However, a new event was introduced in 2023 to commemorate 75 years since the final horse fair.

The 2026 event will take place at Horncastle Community Centre, St Mary's Church, and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's headquarters at Banovallum House on Saturday 8 August between 10:00 and 16:00 BST.

The church will house a new mosaic artwork inspired by the horse fair, which is made up of images submitted by the community, including more than 800 schoolchildren.

Real horses will feature too, including Bomber the shire horse and therapy ponies.

The day will also include dance, acrobatics, puppetry, storytelling, live music, a treasure trail, craft stalls, and stories about Lincolnshire told using virtual reality headsets.

A procession will start at Horncastle Community Centre garden at about 15:30.

Bruce Knight, arts director at Sessions Arts and Spilsby Sessions House, said: "This year's celebrations mark the next step in the event's evolution.

"Building on the success of the previous three years, we have worked closely with the community and talented local artists to establish a vibrant new annual summer celebration for the town."

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