IN its fifth year, a festival celebrating the past 80 years of British culture took over a Hampshire estate.
Nostalgia Show kicked off at its new venue at Broadlands Estate on Friday, June 16, bringing together vintage clothes, cars, games, fitness, music and endless dancing for a three-day party.
Previously held at Stansted Park in Sussex, festival organisers believe the Romsey home was even better and hope to be back for years to come.
And it didn’t stop the regular traders, car owners and visitors from attending as well as a new crowd of Romsonians.
READ MORE: Hampshire’s Broadlands estate to host The Nostalgia Show
Vintage lover Katie O’Leary was there on Saturday for her first Nostalgia Show. Katie, 24, said: “I love all the vintage stuff, I go to an event in Salisbury every year.
“I was so excited to see the show was in Romsey this year, I’d come again. I love everything vintage – the fashion, the music and just to see everyone else having so much fun is lovely.”
Friends Anna Morgan, from Eastleigh, and Lauren Harris, from Romsey, were also dressed for the occasion. Lauren said: “We both like vintage and I just love to dress up and see the old cars and caravans.”
Anna said: “I’m a rockabilly girl. It’s not our first Nostalgia Show, we love to come back and see what there is.”
Hunter Morton, 7, from Portsmouth was busy hula hooping within the ‘vintage green’ area, for his second Nostalgia Show with his family.
SEE ALSO: Line-up reveal: What’s on at the Nostalgia Show this weekend?
Hunter’s grandma, Lynn George, said: “I live on a huge farm and they should do something like this, it would be amazing.
“I’ve had a go at welly wanging and we’ll go up and have a dance later.” To which Hunter replied: “Absolutely not!”
Rob Smith, from Surrey, was there with his 1961 Morris Minor Convertible on Saturday and back on Sunday with a Herbie Lovebug replica.
He said: “I love to see the cars and get together with like-minded people. I’m friends with some of the band members so it’s great to support them too. I’ve had a lovely day I enjoyed the dance class and sat in an Aston Martin.”
Pete Berry, from Bristol, was also there with his pride and joy – his 32-year-old car ‘Cilla’. Pete said: “It’s an incredible atmosphere with the music and dancing – lovely day out. I love to come to event like these and see other car owners with their shiny cars.”
Romsey business Fig and Fox is no stranger to Romsey events, holding a coffee and brownies stall at Dogstival and the Nostalgia Show at Broadlands. Co-owner of the gift and lifestyle shop and new escape room at Fig and Fox, James Mitchell, said: “We want to be part of the community here and get our brand known so we’ve done lots of events in the area.
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“We’re still unknown by so many people in Romsey but here you get people wanting to come and chat and they feel like friends – it’s lovely.”
By Saturday lunchtime, the festival had seen around 1,000 visitors with some pre-booking and others paying at the gate.
Organiser and festival founder, Alex Cvijovic, said: “I’m very pleased. People are happy here, seems like a better venue. If the public wants us back, we’ll come back.
“I like the eclecticism the show brings, it’s something a bit different and people like to buy those unique items.
“Too much work goes into it, doesn’t even provide minimum wage. It would be lovely to see Nostalgia Show grow and have more people support us. We want more volunteers to keep us going for next year too.”
Nostalgia Show finishes at 6pm on Sunday, June 18 with Carrandine’s Cockney Sing-along bringing a day of 80’s keep fit classes, bingo, best dressed competitions and old-style music to a close. Tickets are available upon arrival. Under 7’s go free. For more information go to thenostalgiashow.com/.
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