Camden Community Celebrates Together

Camden Road was a hive of activity on Sunday 5^th of June as the Camden community (and neighbours) came together for a joyous jubilee celebration. With over 230 attendees at its peak, the street party was a wonderful opportunity to bring together Camden residents young, old, and in-between, with a strong showing from canine companions too.

With competitions and festivities galore, there was plenty to do over the course of the day. To ensure street-party goers were appropriately attired, both face-painting and crown crafting stations were set up, leading to some suitably regal looks.

This meant competition was fierce for the ‘best-dressed’ awards, but in the end a smart waistcoat and a particularly sparkly dress won out.

If competition for ‘best-dressed’ humans was fierce, the contest for the canine categories was ferocious. Prizes ranged from ‘waggiest tail’ and ‘loveliest lady’ to ‘best trick’ and ‘owner who looks most like their dog’.

A special surprise for little ones (and grown-ups) arrived early on in the festivities – the Avon Fire & Rescue Service showed up in style in one of their fire engines, causing much excitement. Younger street-party goers were thrilled to be allowed into the cab, and could be seen trying on helmets, examining fire hoses, and having plenty of questions answered by friendly firefighters.

The fun and games carried on throughout the day, with events including egg and spoon races, three-legged races, and bean bag throwing, with bubbles providing plenty of entertainment for those too small to compete.

Prizes were also awarded for crafting competitions which had taken place across the weekend, with awards for best wreath and best jubilee cake as well as prizes for the 1952 quiz and the Camden scavenger hunt. Many thanks go to everyone in the community who donated prizes for competitions and the tombola.

The scavenger hunt even gave rise to some particularly creative local myth-making. One submission for the question ‘What are the origins of the strange elephant creatures at the top of the doors along Camden Crescent? Why are there elephants on the top and squid on the bottom?´ is below:

Three hundred years ago, the amphibious squid living in the River Avon decided they wanted a better view and slithered up the hill. Arriving at Camden Crescent, they decided it should be their home and terrorised the residents, who all fled. The now homeless people called upon Minerva, protector of Bath, to help them. Minerva summoned her troop of elephants who were peacefully grazing on the Skyline, and they stormed Camden Crescent. The squid retreated into the walls above the doors and wouldn’t move, so Minerva left a guardian elephant to protect each home, where you can still see them today sitting on top of the mischievous squid to stop them ever causing more trouble. 

Refreshments were amply provided by the Claremont Pub, who were also responsible for obtaining the road closure necessary to make it all happen. Festivities continued into the evening, with two live bands performing and plenty of beers and pizzas to go around.

And finally, mention must of course be made of the sterling team who pulled the event together, ably lead by John Long and Louise Coates of the Camden Residents Association, alongside a team of many wonderful Camden residents who did their bit marshalling, organising races, providing prizes and generally getting into the spirit of the event.