KINGSBRIDGE Fair Week was officially opened on Wednesday evening, with the charter reading, glove hanging ceremony and the Big Mayor Selfie. Large crowds gathered to see the traditions of Kingsbridge Fair Week and, as a splash of modern culture, to be part of the Big Mayor Selfie – a group photo by the mayor Cllr Wayne Grills of himself and residents before the ceremony. Cllr Grills has been taking Mayor Selfies throughout Fair Week, managing to get photos of himself and fellow councillors, police officers, firemen, world record holders, the fair queen, residents and babies. After all the selfie- taking, the history of Kingsbridge Fair Week was back as the focus of proceedings, and the traditions that date back to 1461 when the Abbot John Matthew applied for a royal charter to hold an annual fair in the town, were upheld. This is the charter that is read every year on the Wednesday of Fair Week, after the glove hanging ceremony. Deputy mayor Jax Williams, town crier Roger Pinder and citizen of the year Roger Tyler were this year's charter bearers, who carried the document from Fore Street car park to the Shambles. Councillor Keith Wingate hoisted a stuffed and garlanded glove onto the Shambles to show that the fair is in progress and to signify free trade and clemency for its duration, while the audience and watching Fair Week royalty cheered. Cllr Grills read out the charter and managed the old English phrasing with only one small mistake – he had predicted 15 – and the fair was officially open. To finish the proceedings, the Kingsbridge Silver Band led the crowd in a rousing rendition of the national anthem and the floral dance took off down Fore Street. Lots of children and youngsters took part in the floral dance, dressed up with flowers in their hair and wrapped around their hula-hoops as they made their way down to the Quay.