A FULL day of entertainment is set to strike a chord with Halesowen shoppers on Saturday (July 19) with the town’s popular Victorian Fair.

The annual extravaganza will feature a record number of 42 charity stalls – a massive increase from last year’s 12.

Organised by the Halesowen and Rowley Regis Rotary Club, there will also be a packed programme of performances by semi-professional singers, bands and children.

Among the line up will be Startime Variety, the Halesowen Ukulele Group, Jazz Ramblers, Susie Woods, Neil Greenway and Phil Sayer Music.

The Halesowen College Youth Band and a student dance group will also take to the stage in Somers Square.

There will be prizes of between £25 and £100 for the best Victorian costume and the fun will start at 9am running through to 4pm.

Rotarian Tony Billingham welcomed the boost in the number of stalls, which he put down to publicity and word of mouth.

He said: “Some make as much as £300 to £500 and word has got round that it’s a worthwhile fundraiser for the sake of a £25 payment.”

Mr Billingham added that Steve Evans of Bescot Promotions, which runs the town’s fortnightly farmers and craft market, had offered the tables for the stalls free of charge, shaving £800 off the costs of the day, which are also being kept down by a £500 Dudley Council grant.

“It was a fantastic gesture from Steve Evans and we are very grateful.

“It is a community project, not for us to make money, and the road closures and staging and other costs add up,” he said.

The rotary club is also hoping that people will sign up on the day to September’s Black Country Run with the enticement of a free prize draw to win a £70 Epson printer, donated by chamber of trade chairman Wayne Edwards, of Less4officewsupplies.

Mr Billingham added: “It promises to be a great day for Halesowen – we just hope the weather holds out.”