Verna Addison of Warragul peruses jewellery at the annual fair in Tooradin held on the weekend.
A RECORD crowd helped the Christ Church of Tooradin raise $25,000 at their annual fair that has been held for more than a century.
Co-ordinator of the church’s committee Dale Ball said the crowd at Saturday’s Craft and Homeware Bazaar was “the biggest ever”.
The event was held for the first time in 1903 as a means of raising money to pay off the debt of purchasing the church in 1900. Ms Ball, whose family has a long affiliation with the church, said the committee understood the event had been held every year since.
“It belongs to the community,” she said.
“We make 70 per cent of what is sold. It is 12 months work and I will start this week to plan what will be sold next year.”
“People who used to live in or had a connection with Tooradin return each year to the fair. We say it’s like a family reunion.”
No one knows this more than Margaret Rowe, who travelled from Lakes Entrance for the fair on Saturday.
Ms Rowe said her great-grandmother would have attended the first fair in Tooradin and her great-grandfather helped build the church. The ashes of her parents are in the church-yard.
Ms Rowe is among the many helpers who meet each month to sew items for the fair.
“I want to be part of it, it’s very special,” she said.
“I’m related to most of Tooradin,” she laughed.
Popular items at the fair on Saturday were the baby ware and Christmas puddings and cakes, Ms Ball said. “We think it’s the longest running fair there is in Victoria.”
The money raised this year will go towards repair works to the heritage church.
