Who doesn't love a fete? Canberra is at the height of fete season, the warmer weather getting us all in a mood to mingle. And the increasingly sophisticated fete scene these days is sometimes a little bit more than coconut ice and chocolate wheels. (Le Grande Fete, next weekend, at Telopea Park School will be as much about the French food on offer as anything else.)
But what hasn't changed is that typically small band of volunteers who organise the fete for the local school or church or community group, surviving on little sleep in the closing days and crossing fingers for some good weather.
And when you get a few fete organisers together, they can't help but talk shop, trading tips and war stories. One even likens organising a fete to childbirth, once the pain is forgotten, you're busy planning for the next one.
That got a few laughs.
Janice Green has been busy co-ordinating the Canberra Girls Grammar fete, which attracts more than 5000 people and features everything from gourmet salads made by the parents to a chocolate fountain to pony rides to the garden stall, which has been run by the Grammarians' old girls for 81 years.
Girls Grammar fete is on Saturday from 10am to 3pm but that is not the end of it.
"Well, put it this way," Janice said. "I'm already thinking about next year's fete."
Lucky there is a wine stall at the fete, run by one of the fathers.
"He usually comes around at the end of the fete to the volunteers with a bottle of wine and some glasses," Janice said, with a laugh.
Other fetes on Saturday are Bonython Primary (3pm to 7pm), Trinity Christian School (10am to 3pm), French-Australian Preschool (10am to 2pm), Turner School (10am to 2pm), Melba Uniting Church (9am to 1.30pm) and Aranda Primary, which is having a twilight fete from 3pm to 7pm to help celebrate its 50th birthday. Kaleen Primary has a "mini-market" on Sunday from 10am to 2pm.
Cimone Gray has been putting together a spectacular array of rides for Saturday's Trinity Christian School Fair in Wanniassa including bungee trampoline and storm swing ride.There will also be a petting zoo and reptile display.This year's proceeds go to new play areas in the junior school
"It is always wonderful to see students, staff, parents and friends coming together to enjoy food, entertainment, rides, market stalls and games," Cimone said.
Natalie Ware from Bonython Primary said the fete was vital to providing funds for the school. Today's would go towards upgrading smart boards.
And the fete, which will have the traditional favourites of petting zoo and plant stalls and cake stalls and much more, never leaves her mind. "I'm even dreaming about it," she said.
Next Saturday, November 2 includes Le Grande Fete at Telopea Park School (noon to 6pm), Radford College Twilight Fete ( 3pm to 7pm), and Lyneham Primary 60thAnniversary Fete (10am to 3pm).
Sunila Srivastava, joint organiser of the Lyneham Primary fete, said every effort was being made to ensure a special celebration at next weekend's fete for the school's 60th birthday, including amusement rides and spectacular Chinese lions dancing as well as curries to white elephant stall.
"To be honest, the fete is very important for schools because that's where we get all the money," Sunila said. "It's for things like funding chrome books and excursions and education resources that some kids can't afford."
Catherine Pontifex, is one of four mums co-ordinating the Le Grande Fete at Telopea Park. Transferred from Paris to Canberra with her husband's work, Catherine is organising her first fete in Australia and says "it's been a journey".
The Le Grande fete will include amusement rides, beer and wine, an activity area for teenagers and lots of multicultural food.
Catherine says, all the hard work is ultimately "for the children" and likes to quote a common school creed: "That asmany hands build a house, so many hearts build a school".
"It's great to be able to help and do something for the community," she said.
And that is something they all agree on.
