A promotional marketing company is providing a package of funding and expertise to ensure one of the UK’s most famous community pageant events takes place in 2020.

It is the biggest ever corporate support in the 50-year history of Axbridge Pageant in Somerset and comes from Enable Promotional Marketing, who are based in the historic town square but serve major brands all around the world.

The support will include sponsorship money and technical support - including database management for organisation logistics and the Pageant’s website.Over the last half a century, Axbridge Pageant has become a key part of Somerset’s rich tradition of carnivals and community events.

Considered one of the few remaining historical pageants left in the United Kingdom, the performance is a spectacular re-enactment celebrating 2,000 years of Axbridge history - from Saxon times through to the present day. The next one will be held over three days in the last weekend of August 2020; each day in front of over 600 people, a cast of upwards of 400 local performers will be supported by over 100 volunteers… all of whom who give their time, experience and skill to ensure this unique event goes from strength to strength.

First performed in 1967 to celebrate the opening of the by-pass along the former Strawberry Line rail track, the Axbridge Pageant was such a success it was decided to repeat it… and since then has been held every ten years.

Says the Pageant Director John Bailey:

“We are massively grateful for Enable’s support, without which we would simply not be able to put on such a spectacular show. We will still be looking for other sponsorships to secure the financial foundations we need for such a huge event, but this is a massive start for us.”

Enable provides project management support to some of the world’s biggest brands for their promotions online, via social media, in-store, at events or on-pack. Although the business works in Latin America, across Europe, Asia- Pacific and the USA it proudly supports the local community.

Neil Barnes, MD of Enable, said:

“The Pageant happens in the Square right outside our office window and is an amazing event. All our staff are just as enthused as I am to be playing a part and we will be giving practical support as well as financial support.

“As a Somerset-based business with a worldwide client base, and we’re keen for all directors, managers and staff to get involved in the Pageant, ‘giving back’ to our community by passing on what we can about our town’s history. We are extremely proud of our roots - it’s a very big part of who we are - and we are always ‘spreading the word’ about the town with our clients around the globe.

“Enable believe the key to a passionate, enthusiastic, healthy and forward-thinking company is a strong positive relationship with the community. Thus, we strive to play a full role in giving life and energy into the local area.”

Pageant Director John Bailey says that:

“Planning for the event is well underway and everyone involved is already getting very excited - we’ve had several hundred local people already signing up to be involved and more are getting in touch every day.

“The clock is ticking, with just 13 months to go now before the Square will become a living history book for three enthralling days…

“But the hard work starts here! A year might sound a long way away, but there is so much to do in the coming months – from making props and costumes through to finessing the script and rehearsing.

“We know from all the previous occasions that all the hard work will be rewarded with the culmination of those three days when we depict this marvellous town’s history – from earliest times through to the present day… with drama, spectacle, colour, movement and much, much more.

“Critically, all of this will be down to the hard work of the people of Axbridge – all parts of the community coming together for a common cause.”

The new Pageant website is at www.axbridgepageant.com . Enable can be found at www.enablepm.com