Le Viaer Marchi ....a traditional Guernsey Folk Festival ..the first item we do on our return vacation back to my beloved Island Home

There's music, dancing, and the essential food and drink which includes traditional Guernsey cider and beanjar.

The event doubles up as a National Trust fundraiser.

Organiser Andrew Carey's grandmother founded the event in the 1970s and it's as popular today as it was back then


"We think we might have 5000 people here it has always been popular I think this might be the only traditional Guernsey event in the calendar for me it is a really nice evening lots of traditional things to look at to eat but it also a night where you are probably going to meet somebody you were at school with or you haven't seen for a long time those sorts of things its informal its a gentle evening and people tend to love it!" 

– ANDREW CAREY, ORGANISER

The National Trust of Guernsey's largest event which succeeds in creating a "Guernsey" atmosphere.

It is held at Saumarez Park on the first Monday in July and runs from about 6pm until dusk (dusk being around 9.30 or later) not early like it is in Alabama, USA..  The evening draws an enormous number of locals and visitors alike.  

Lé Viaer Marchi is an evening show, organised by the National Trust of Guernsey. It showcases local craftsmanship in Guernsey's history and holds displays showing the way in which Guernsey men and women used to live. Guernsey Bean Jar, Guernsey Gache (a type of fruit bread) and Hard Cider are also on offer. There is also a selection of activities for children to make the evening accessible to all islanders. There are stalls set up for various bric-a-brac. Local woodcarvers showcase their wares, and local women make Guernsey butter and lace.

It was a most beautiful evening in Guernsey ..just perfect for one of my favorite of Guernsey's festivals showcasing the old ways of my Ancestors ..
The first photograph showed a Guernsey Cow ...the pure breed that is on the island and yields very high quality milk ...
My Husband Danny loved to see the people dressed in traditional Guernsey custumes ..and they were all very happy to pose for the occasion 

Lovely selection of some of the thousands of plants that thrive on the island for sale but having no garden to plant them in of my own ...I just was able to look 

A lovely selection of Guernsey Baskets used for fishing and collecting shell fish ...there is a lobster pot and below is a Guernsey man making a lobster pot ...he has been showing us how to make them for many, many years at this show 

Lacemakers all wearing traditional Guernsey Bonnets like the ones my grandmother's wore as children..
Below they are repairing rush chairs 

This gentleman was using a wooden homemade lathe to do woodwork with ..it was fascinating to watch this old craft ..as you can see there were many people there enjoying the lovely evening 

Beautiful traditional Copper Milk Cans glisten in the evening sun along with Copper bracelets that people like to wear to help with arthritis in their hands ...this clever man was hammering away ...I love these cans but they are very pricey nowadays ...many visitors buy them as a lovely momento of their visit to Guernsey

Ladies Spinning yarn , Lace makers in the background and embroidery all being done with each lady making good use of their Guernsey Bonnets to give them shade from the evening sun

Guernsey Militia men have their part to play...
with a mess tent serving up food... displays of tents showing how a camp would be set up and lots of guns and ammunition to keep my Husband happy for a little while 

The festival takes place in a small corner area of our biggest park on the island , Saumarez Park ...I have spent many a happy time here as a child, with my dog, with my children and now with my American Husband ...it has a lovely duck pond with a Japanese Pagoda Tea House hanging over it , an incredible playground for the children, rose garden, secret walled garden and a large former Mansion house once owned by the De Saumarez family that is now an old peoples residential home ...a little bit of paradise 

We sat down on the grass with some of the other Guernsey folks and ate some lovely food from the stalls, some friends of ours were on the Guernsey Bee Keepers Association Stall and whilst chatting to them we watched beautiful bee Skeps (hives) being made 

Unique to Guernsey are grapes that are called Cannon Hall grapes ...they are very large and only grown now in a few glasshouses around the island ..mainly in the large old farmhouses ...this stall below represented them and the old way in which they were sold ..you can still buy them directly from the person's home ...often going inside the glasshouse to choose the bunches you wish to purchase 

So as you can see a lovely evening was had by all and it couldn't have been lovelier weather ..a great start to our vacation ...we now have just to pack up one of our suitcases with items we will need for our 4 day trip to France on Tuesday ...

So I will leave you for now and will come back with the start of some our adventures in France including a visit to The Bayeux Tapestry, Markets ...etc ...

See you there 

 à la prochaine!   


(Guernsey French Patois for 'Goodbye')