19th – 21st August 2022
Our exciting and fun celebration ran from Friday, 19th, until Sunday, 21st August. We were open from 11 am until 11 pm each of the three days of the party. All were welcome, and as a bonus, there was no entrance charge. We had an excellent range of activities for all ages, including:
- Family fun – face painting, games and crafts.
- A beer festival.
- Music each afternoon and evening.
- A raffle with excellent prizes.
- And our famous BBQ each day, too.
Read on and see what happened on each of the days to soak in all the fun. For each of the three days of SwanFest we have created a separate section with the stories and photos of the day. Please just click on the photo of the day, and you will be whisked there. Enjoy!
What Was On?
Day One: Friday
Our Community
Our roving photographer was out and about on day 1 to take some excellent portrait photos of the local community who turned out.
Marlow Ukulele Group
The Marlow Ukulele Group has been set up to provide opportunities for new and more experienced ukulele players to practice their favourite songs in a friendly group environment. Everyone is welcome to come along and join in the fun. We had the pleasure of the Group opening our weekend of music.
The Kids
As well as having music and beer, we had activities for the kids, too. Face painting proved very popular amongst the young and old.
The Courtyard
With the good weather, excellent beer, the fab BBQ, and the live music, the Courtyard was a busy place.
Mark & Sherridan
We were very pleased that Mark and Sherridan could join us in the evening for some more live music. As usual, they really entertained the community in The Courtyard with their superb selection of music.
Day Two: Saturday
World Record Attempts
We then attempted to break another Guinness World Record with the most MnMs eaten in a minute and blindfolded… no record this time, but a good try.
Windsor Jazz Collective
We’ve been waiting since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown to host this fabulous jazz group. And boy, were they worth the wait!
A Popular Event
There was an excellent turnout from the locals and the community who came to taste the various beers on offer, take in the music, enjoy the music and BBQ, and to take a little sun too. And there was some entertainment from the people taking on our Guinness World Record attempts.
38MM
To close off the night, The 35mm band got the dance floor pumping.
Day Three: Sunday
Dino the Dinosaur
DJ Wildcat
The Raffle
The Friends of The Swan held a traditional raffle, with all funds raised going to the continued renovation of the pub. We raised nearly £1,200 over the three days through the sale of lots and lots of tickets. Thanks to Anne, Peter, Judy, Richard and Ian, plus the bar staff, for selling the tickets.
A HUGE thank you must be given to all our prize donors without whom this would not be possible.
Thanks to The Team
Unfortunately, we didn’t get a picture of the team that put the whole event on. Just to say a huge thanks to the staff and volunteers who helped make SwanFest 2022 a real success. Without you, it would not have been possible. Here are some photos of the team at the BBQ, or the raffle, or in the stocks (as you do), or in the bar, or face painting, or selling tickets, or …..
If your picture isn’t here, apologies.
The Raffle
We had a traditional raffle with an excellent range of prizes. All funds raised went to the continued renovation of the pub. A MASSIVE thank you to all our prize donors, without whom this would not be possible, really appreciated by all the team. Here are our winners:
We are sorry, but no switches or substitutions are possible. All winners have already been contacted by telephone or email. Any personal details taken in order to contact winners will be destroyed as soon as the prize has been collected. Prizes must be claimed from The Swan, Mill Lane within 3 weeks of the draw, unless alternative arrangements are made.
Feathered Friend
Micky created our own special beer for SwanFest. It was a red IPA at 4.5%. Lighter than a Guardsman in colour with a lovely red tinge. It went very quickly as it was very popular.
Guest Beers
We had a fine range of guest beers during SwanFest including:
- Batemans Triple XB by Batemans Brewery
- Summer Swallow by Batemans Brewery
- Feathered Friend by Windsor & Eton Brewery
- Simply the Zest by Rudgate Brewery
- Brew No.34 Dinga Dinga by Rudgate Brewery
- Ruby Mild by Rudgate Brewery
- Side Pocket for a Toad by Tring Brewery
- Lukas by Thornbridge Brewery
- Lost and Grounded by Helles
- Eisbar Lager by XT Brewing Company
- Fork Handles by Vale Brewery
- Cwtch by Tiny Rebel
World Record Attempts
Each day at 5 pm, we had our own version of the hit BBC programme ‘Record Breakers’. Remember the McWhirter brothers and Roy Castle? Well, we had our own version with our very special compere, Micky, who hosted our world record-breaking attempts. Despite some brave attempts, we were unsuccessful.
- Friday 19th: How many socks can you put on 1 foot in 1 minute? Can you do more than 30? That’s the goal …
- Saturday 20th: Can you eat more than 20 MnMs in 1 minute? How about if you were blindfolded and had to use chopsticks? Not so easy now, is it!
- Sunday 21st: Do you think you can make a freestanding toilet paper roll tower higher than 20 rolls in 1 minute? Come and try!