The UK’s longest running festival of Outdoor Arts is back in Winchester city centre from Friday 5th - Sunday 7th July 2024 - and this year is extra special as it celebrates its 50th birthday! There are two chances for you the audience to win, one a spectacular holiday thanks to Kuoni Travel being announced as a Strategic Partner of the Hat Fair. The second a chance to win at one of the most spectacular Bingo game as Ireland's Fidget Feet make a return to Winchester. Play to the Crowd – the arts and education charity that runs Theatre Royal Winchester, Hat Fair and Playmakers – is thrilled to announce Kuoni Travel as Strategic Partner of Hat Fair 2024. As part of this one-year agreement, the worldwide travel brand has donated an exclusive prize holiday to the Maldives, which Play to the Crowd audiences will be in with a chance of winning by entering a Charity Prize Draw. The holiday to the island of Kuramathi consists of seven nights’ full board accommodation for two people staying in an idyllic beach bungalow; meals at an allocated restaurant; and complimentary return speedboat transfers from Male’ International Airport. The charity hopes the Prize Draw will raise awareness of the many challenges faced by people in our community, including poor mental health and wellbeing, isolation and loneliness, dwindling creativity in education and limited access to the arts. Every entry made to support Play to the Crowd will ensure that culture and creativity thrives in their community with equal opportunities for everyone. Play to the Crowd’s Crowdfunder UK Prize Draw will go live on the first day of Hat Fair – Friday 05 July at 8am – and people can enter online by visiting crowdfunder.co.uk/p/playtothecrowdprizedraw where there is further information as well as terms and conditions. Alternatively, people can enter by visiting the Kuoni store on Winchester High Street or Hat Fair info points on The Broadway and in the Cathedral Close over the festival weekend. Andrew Loretto, Hat Fair and Playmakers Director, said: " We’re so excited to have Kuoni on board for Hat Fair’s 50th Birthday year! We are proud to showcase a wide range of international visiting artists every year at Hat Fair so it feels very right to have a global travel brand join us in celebrating that element of the festival - especially when so many local festival-goers often don’t realise that Hat Fair is one of the most important festivals of its kind on the world stage. ” Kuoni Winchester Store Manager, Paul Hermann, said: ‘ Kuoni is thrilled to announce our partnership with Play to the Crowd, and to be collaborating on Hat Fair, celebrating its 50th year. Working alongside Kuramathi Maldives, we have contributed a prize to support Play to the Crowd's charity fundraising efforts and we are honoured to be part of this impactful initiative .’ The theme of the Hat Fair the year is Look Back, Look Forwards, Look Up. One of the groups that will definitely get crowds looking up is Ireland's Aerial Dance Group - "Fidget Feet". I spoke with one of their founders Chantal McCormick. She grew up in Donegal , and like many was introduced to Irish Dancing, but the introduction did not go well. " My Dance teacher told my mother, that Irish Dancing was something I would not succeed at. It wasn't that I lacked the skills for dancing - more the discipline did not appeal. I had an imagination there were many other skills I wanted to include. I learned many circus skills including stilt walking. It was on a trip to the North of England I went to a gig in Newcastle and heard Jym Daly and his band play - we've been married for quite some time now and he provides the musical side to Fidget Feet." "WE are delighted to back at Winchester for the Hat Fair's 50th birthday, and very grateful for Culture Ireland for their help with financing the trip. It seems every time I sit down with people like that and tell them what I would like to do, their eyes seem to come out on stalks! All those years ago, I had a vision of what I wanted to achieve - now Jym, I and the team have achieved it. Combining with Irish skill of storytelling with spectacular aerial dance and circus skills". "It works, because we always use safety lines, and our riggers who know exactly what happens when are working with the local banksman and crane driver. Everybody's skills working in unison, so you can enjoy a bingo game with a difference. a spectacular aerial show involving people flying from cranes, dancers, bingo balls and a local Elvis impersonator?"  The Hat Fair runs from the 5th to 7th July across and above Winchester town centre, for more information please have a look at their website at the What's On section - https://www.hatfair.co.uk/whats-on