THE next 12 months are going to be full of events in Farnham, with plenty to keep townsfolk busy.

Farnham’s first Gin Festival took place in September 2017 and is being extended this year for an extra evening (September 14 and 15,). This was due to the high demand for tickets, after the event sold out in just three days.

The Food Festival (September 29) is also set to return bigger and better this year after councillors agreed last week to extend the event to The Borough as well as Castle Street, similar to the Christmas Market, to allow additional space and for visitor safety.

The town council has, however, agreed to move the event to a Sunday rather than a Saturday so that there is minimal disruption.

Jill Hargreaves, chairman of the town council’s tourism and events working group, said: “The gin festival was a rip-roaring success and we are going to make it longer this year. The food festival was also extremely good, we had 15,000 people turn up.”

The food festival also featured in the BBC’s The Farmer’s Country Showdown on Thursday, January 18.

Mrs Hargreaves continued: “It was the most fabulous film, what an easy PR exercise for Farnham it was. Farnham looked absolutely beautiful and I have to say I am very proud to be from Farnham and part of this town council, because you can see how much effort we put into it.”

Another event which is set to be extended this year is the Farnham Walking Festival. It’s being extended from one week to two and will take place from Sunday, May 20 to Sunday, June 3.

An event celebrating the 60th anniversary of Mike Hawthorn becoming Britain’s first Formula 1 champion is also proposed for October. It is planned to be of a similar format to the Mike Hawthorn memorial event in 2009.

Michael Ballard organised this previous event and suggested the idea of a celebration around Farnham.

of Farnham mayor Mike Hodge said: “This would involve a church service, a tour around the town in some very, very expensive classic cars of the period, a reception and a visit to Mike Hawthorn’s grave in West Street Cemetery.”

More details and a date are expected to be confirmed later in the year.

Events are also being discussed to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War and the RAF centenary, after councillor Pat Frost asked if Farnham Town Council had plans to mark the landmarks.

Ideas include a flower bed in Gostrey Meadow and silhouettes of “silent soldiers” placed around the town, while Waverley leader Julia Potts confirmed the borough council is compiling a register of events in partnership with the area’s town and parish councils.