Amazing day in Vine Street

Street party on 20 September 2009

By Jon Wilde, North Laine resident

Well, what an amazing day this turned out to be!

The organisers

We had a fantastic team of organisers helping. Special mention has to go to Sinead and Dave (lovely couple next door to me who saved my bacon on more than one occasion and were the official Pimms mixers!), Richard and June (fantastic team from different houses who organised and ran the raffle and kids' games and generally kept me sane), Nathan and Frasier (who organised the tables) and everyone else who brought cakes/salads/strange but tasty cucumber things on the day and of course my lovely wife, who both painted the sign (which can now remain with the street) and put up with my rather stressed organisational style.

Events soon underway

We were all up early to prepare the street for its first ever party and within a few hours we were ready. The rest seemed to pass very quickly indeed as the kids queued up for candy floss in between bouts on the bouncy castle, while Frasier and Nathan teamed up to cook the food we had supplied and the first performer of the day (Seany Clarke) began to sing. He really helped to kick off the party spirit while we ate the lovely food that had appeared from numerous doors.

Dancing, games and raffle

Then Rebel Control, who followed, got everyone dancing. After a short break for table top games for the kids and the raffle - with prizes generously donated from local businesses.

Rebel Control and tidying up

Then we were onto another set from Rebel Control, which was fantastic and produced some very funny videos (see youtube.com/wildejon) before we had to start tidying up. Thankfully everyone helped out and we were done in no time. It was like nothing had happened on the street apart from the fact that we finally all know each other!

Click here for some more images.
[Previously published in the North Laine Runner, No 201, November/December 2009]