George Formby

I think my favourite memory of the last Ffiesta came when I stepped out of the lift into the foyer.  An elderly couple had just exited the other lift a few seconds earlier.  The old boy took a few paces forwards and stopped, a look of amazement on his face....'Is that George Formby over there?' he asked his wife.  She, however, had noticed the lobster hanging from the chandelier and was gazing at it in puzzlement.   'It is, it is George Formby' he insisted.  She was still ignoring him and had walked up to stand underneath the lobster and was peering at it more closely.  He walked up to the Formby shrine and read the notice, muttering to himself.  Then he turned around and gathered up his still confused wife, shepherding her into the dining room.  'I don't know what HE's bloody doing here!'

Those of you who attended the 2010/1985 Ffiesta will be no stranger to the cult of Formby.  The shrine, complete with two eternal flames (well, semiternal, I think the battery has gone in one of them!) an aspidistra and a portrait of George in full regalia, wearing the insignia of the Ukelele and crossed oak leaves awarded to a select few, allows respectful contemplation of the great man and the opening ceremony involves community singing of 'Leaning on a Lamppost', whilst the weekend is bought to a close with a rendition of 'When I'm cleaning windows'  A fitting tribute to our President for Life, as I'm sure you will agree.

So if you are planning to come this year, you could do no better preparation than watching a few Formby videos and learning the words.