Chestnut Sunday in Bushy Park

Last year, this celebration coincided with the 60th anniversary of the celebration of VE Day which is probably why I didn't remember what it was all about yesterday whilst writing my entry. The celebration is one that has been going on for years (and years, and years, and years) according to what I was told.

Apparently, in olden days the locals decided to get dressed-up in their finest attire and parade up and down the main boulevard through Bushy Park on a fine Sunday morning in spring. Eventually, this became an annual event and the whole town turned-out to see the well-to-do members of society touring down Chestnut Avenue.

In recent years, the length and excitement level of the parade seems to have waned a bit, but there is still a pretty good turn-out to watch the festivities. My personal favorite (aside from the antique cop cars, which were interesting mostly because one of them stopped to harass my friend Kevin) was the antique bicycles. There have been some interesting contraptions both years I have seen the parade.

Of course no Sunday afternoon would be complete without spending it in the company of friends and having a pint at the local pub so that is exactly what we did after the parade.

I hope wherever you spent your Sunday, was as pleasant!

Don Bergquist - 15th May 2006 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, United Kingdom