Tamar DA’s 25th Birthday Meet
Tamar DA’s 25th Birthday Meet – Mayday Bank Holiday 2002
A Fantastic 25th Birthday Meet at Newnham Park
Tamar DA members share their memories of an excellent 25th Birthday Meet at Newnham Park. From start to finish, the whole weekend was filled with laughter, music, colour, and that unmistakable Tamar DA spirit.
The Sub‑Committee pulled out all the stops to organise a truly special celebration, and their hard work shone through in every detail. Members were full of praise and thanks for the team who made the weekend run so smoothly.
A particular highlight was the pride everyone felt for the Tamar DA Youth, they delivered a brilliant pantomime performance that had the whole hall joining in. Oh yes they did! Their energy, commitment, and sense of fun were a joy to watch.
Friday evening began in fine style with the South West Folk Group warming everyone up with music and good cheer. Then on Saturday night, the clock rolled back to the swinging sixties. New hairstyles appeared, some with more hair than usual. Mark Stuart and the band Strawberry Fields kept the dance floor busy with a fantastic night of entertainment.
Across the weekend, there was something for everyone. A wide range of activities kept members of all ages smiling. The Fire Service sniffer dog demonstration was a real crowd‑pleaser, fascinating young and old alike. The maypole dancing brought a lovely traditional touch, and Andy Slade’s Friday night quiz was delivered with his trademark enthusiasm, humour, and unstoppable energy.
The Youth’s pantomime, Cinderella, deserves another special mention. The two Ugly Sisters stole the show with their hilarious antics, and the whole cast delivered a performance that will be talked about for years.
As the celebrations drew to a close, many members commented on how much they enjoyed the three very different evenings—each one unique, each one memorable, and each one filled with the warmth and togetherness that makes Tamar DA so special
Just a quick note to thank everyone on behalf of ourselves and the other Devon D A members that attended your Birthday Meet for a fantastic weekend. The entertainment was excellent on the Saturday night and the pantomime couldn’t have been better if we had gone to the theatre.
As usual you all made us welcome and you all worked extremely hard to make the weekend a success, which it was. So once again thank you very much.
John & Karen Oliver
On behalf of the eleven Folk Group units attending, we would like to thank you and your D.A. for the warm welcome and marvellous entertainment provided on the occasion of Tamar’s 25th Birthday meet last weekend.
We enjoyed providing the entertainment on the Friday evening and could only have wished it had not been so cold, to encourage more people to leave the warmth of their caravans and join in the dancing. We had a good turn out of people interested in our crafts and sold a few surplus pieces in aid of National Meningitis Trust. We are sorry we had nobody on site who knew the correct moves for Maypole, but loved the way all the different ages joined in (especially the last lot - the ‘men’).
Yours faithfully,
South West Folk Group - Chairman