Hay-on-Fire

Celebrations all day on Saturday!
There were the conker championships and Apple Day in the Buttermarket, and at mid-day all the children who have been making dragons all week paraded round town with them. There were Chinese-style dragons, cloth-covered, with the kids underneath carrying them, and there must have been about a dozen of them, with sculpted faces, and some with flapping wings.
Shortly before six, a huge traction engine drew up outside the Wheatsheaf, and the procession formed up behind it, with a samba band in red, gold and black costumes, the cross-dressing morris men, morris dancers with flaming torches, more dragons, including one that had been made as a giant lantern, and lots of kids with lanterns that they had been making in the workshops during the week. There were crowds up the slopes of the castle watching us go by before they joined on the end of the procession. At various places along the way there were placards saying things like "Govt Denys Dragon Cull Plan" and "20% Dragons Now Obese". On the old Castle Mound opposite the Swan, there was a fire juggler. We went right down to Gypsy Castle, to the track that leads to the Warren, where we showed our wristbands or bought tickets at the gate. It was all very well organised, with floodlights at intervals down the lane, and on the Warren itself. The crowds gathered up the slope, with the action taking place on the level ground by the river. At the top of the slope, XOX Organics and another burger van were doing a roaring trade.
The story being told was of Vortigern's Castle (the backdrop to the action, made of wood and the same paper that the lanterns were made of). Vortigern had retreated from the Saxons to his Castle, and was appealing to the good people of Hay to help him defend his strong castle - a bit of pyrotechnics, and a tower of the castle promply fell down. "Good builders of Hay," Vortigern said. "Can I have a word? I specifically asked for a non-crumbling castle."
Soothsayers - the cross-dressing morris men - were called in and after their dance with flaming torches they told Vortigern that he must find a child without a father, and sacrifice him so that his castle would not fall down. They then scattered into the audience, looking for likely children, until Young Merlin appeared, to give his prophesy - he being the child without a father. The kid playing Merlin was brilliant. He's only 12, and he gave his speech with just the right amount of drama, telling that beneath the castle two dragons, one red and one white, were fighting, and one must defeat the other before the castle could stand.
The dragons were two old bangers, decorated with dragon heads and wings, and with flame coming out of every available place - and they had flame throwers. The cars chased each other round the arena, while a static firework display depicted two dragons fighting. When the red dragon was victorious, another display was lit, showing the red dragon of Wales, and then the rockets started going off from behind the castle. It was a very impressive display.
On the way back to town, I stopped to chat to Brian, who was one of the stewards. He was interviewing the kids as they passed: "What did you think of it? Ten out of ten? You can come next year!" He reckoned that three and a half thousand people must have passed him. We saw Ann and the Timbuktu delegation coming back up - Ann with the grin that's been a permanent fixture on her face all week, and the Mayor of Timbuktu in borrowed green wellies under his robes.
Back in town there were crowds outside all the pubs, and people eating fish and chips all along Broad Street, sitting on the wall. Islay liked that bit, when I let her out. I left her in the house because of the bangs and the crowds, but she needed a walk when I got back.
Next year, it's Giants!