On Sunday 12th July 2026 more than 1,000 visitors enjoyed the third Petersfield Eco Fair on the Heath. In spite of the ongoing and prolonged heatwave, brisk winds, and various conflicting sports fixtures, the event saw a fantastic turnout and enjoyed enthusiastic feedback.
Petersfield Climate Action Network and Petersfield Town Council worked together to organise the Eco Fair, which opened at 10am with an announcement from the Town Crier followed by warm welcoming comments from the Petersfield Mayor and PeCAN’s Chair, Greg Ford. The Mayor acknowledged that the weather was “glorious, but a reminder of our ever-changing climate” and encouraged attendees to find inspiration for climate action, in all its forms, amongst the 50 organisations, retailers, and vendors present.
Visitors were invited to ride bikes to the Fair if they could, to benefit from free bike health checks courtesy of Petersfield Bicycle Buddies and free security marking from the police. Many visited the home energy stalls, seeking free advice on renewable energy systems, energy efficiency and of course home cooling. Nature groups offered information on bats, other wildlife, biodiversity, and what we can do to help support our precious native species. Local climate groups provided visitors with a chance to connect with like-minded people and offered inspiration for action. Eco retailers showcased their planet-friendly wares, with a selection of local food and drink vendors supplying much needed refreshments, from crepes, burgers and pizzas to ice creams, coffees and beer.
Geoff and Joff from Petersfield’s Shine Radio did a brilliant job of introducing the live music acts and entertaining the audience. Entertainment of other sorts were also on offer, from a site-wide Eco Tips Treasure Hunt and a chance to win a generous Eco Hamper with goodies donated by the stallholders, to a plethora of activities for children. These included free face painting from Jade's Little Studio (with more than 40 faces painted), an opportunity to learn forest skills, make insect wristbands, create cardboard birds, looping caterpillars and hedgerow creatures to add to a hedge, Hook a Yuck game to save the ducks from rubbish, and a nature parade led by the fantastic Green Man and Summer Fairy featuring local children with their nature-inspired masks competing to win a prize. Organisers were delighted to see adults and children alike engaging with these activities, and the message of care for nature and our planet that they conveyed.
A fire engine, brought onto the site by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire Service, generated a great deal of excitement, with many taking the opportunity to climb inside the cab. This spectacle offered the opportunity to talk about wildfire risk, which could not be more important than during a heatwave when the ground and vegetation is so dry.
The event could not have happened without the help of tens of tireless volunteers who braved the heat to help bring this truly collaborative community event to Petersfield once more. PeCAN thanks each and every one of our 55 volunteers, along with five from Petersfield Society who kindly made sure the site was litter-free before and after the event, our local District councillors who pledged funding for some of the activities offered, and EHDC for their support.
Find out much more about what was on offer at the 2026 Eco Fair plus details of all our stallholders, here.
If you attended the Eco Fair, PeCAN would very much appreciate your feedback, so that we can continue to improve the event for the benefit of local residents. You can offer your thoughts here, thank you.
Check out some lovely images from the event, plus a selection of your kind comments, below:
Images provided by PeCAN, Petersfield Town Council, Neve Springthorpe & Suki Zoe
Thank you for your kind words...
"I'd like to congratulate you on a well-run and well organised Eco-fair. It had a great atmosphere and the stallholders I spoke to were pleased with the public engagement. I know these events take an enormous amount of work and commitment." ~ Councillor Anne Stephenson
"A big well done for a fabulous day! As ever, we were blown away by everyone's passion and enthusiasm despite the challenges! Thank you and the whole team for putting on such an important day. Also for having us be part of it. Your support for our small business means a lot." ~ Roots Street Food
"Thank you for having us at Petersfield Eco Fair. It was our first year attending, and we really enjoyed the event. It was a lovely atmosphere, and we’d absolutely love to be welcomed back again in the future. Being only around 20 minutes down the road, we really enjoy supporting local events." ~ Jamie's Coffee
"My family and friends really enjoyed the event and specifically the food!" ~ Paul Stead (singer)
"Keep it going please!"
"Lovely people and food"