If you were in Queens Gardens last weekend for the quirky craft activities to celebrate all things architectural as part of Open House, then you’ll enjoy the next Culture Croydon offering coming up. Drum roll please, as the Walnut Fair returns this year on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 October to help us get into the harvest festival mood.

Walnuts you wonder? Let’s just recap what the Walnut Fair is, in case you weren’t around for last year’s inaugural reboot.

Back in 1314, a Walnut Fair popped up in Croydon, which became an annual tradition for more than 500 years. People across London would flock to our fair town to buy (yes you guessed it) walnuts, but also other tasty items such as oysters and gingerbread. Whilst they were here they would also enjoy the fair’s entertainment including travelling theatre and circus. One year apparently, an elephant managed to escape the fair compound and was found in a baker’s shop stealing buns! By the Victorian times the fair had started to get out of control with crowds of rowdy fairgoers, so the fair was sadly shut down in 1868.

I mean, looking at the 1833 painting (see header) it looks a bit like a historic Glastonbury!

Left: Bread and Butter – Flock; right: Sofiya Ukranian Harvest Queen by Joel C Fildes

Anyway, what can we expect on 4 and 5 October? This year’s Walnut Fair brings a mix of magical puppetry, interactive art and hands-on craft. Look out for Daniel the Dandelion Man, an eight-foot puppet spreading hope, and The Misfortune Teller – a fortune-teller with a twist. Families can wander through The Orbitza, a labyrinth that transforms into a harvest celebration, meet puppet sheep with lambs in tow, and join Sofiya, the Ukrainian Carnival Queen, in a colourful parade.

Highlights also include Pif-Paf’s bee-themed street theatre, and mindful tea moments served from a painted Tuk-Tuk with workshops and photo fun. Vauxhall City Farm returns with its much-loved animals, while crafty types can try basket weaving and harvest crown making (and there will of course be free face painting). Add folk dance, global workshops and live music, and it’s set to be a wonderful ‘walnut’ weekend in the town centre.

And to whet your appetite for the weekend festivities, there is a free talk on the history of Croydon’s Walnut Fair, on the evening of Thursday 2 October in the Braithwaite Hall. Carole Roberts, President of the Croydon Natural History & Scientific Society will be sharing stories of trade, tricksters and rich local traditions at the fair with curious tales of peep shows, theatre performances,menageries and even a learned pig.

So all set for harvest? Why not buy some walnuts this weekend in preparation…

Walk of the Dandelion by Mike B Designs

The 2025 Walnut Fair and harvest celebrations take place on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 October between 12 and 5pm in and around Katharine Street, Croydon Town Centre. The Walnut Fair history talk takes place on Thursday 2 October in the Braithwaite Hall (part of the Town Hall).

Find out more information about the weekend’s events on the Culture Croydon website here and about Carole Robert’s talk here. You need to book tickets for basket weaving and crown making workshops.

Header image: ‘Croydon Fair 1833′ by George Hawkins – courtesy of Museum of Croydon. Other images courtesy of the Culture Croydon team.

Posted by Julia