'Ballymoney Spring Fair without a cavalcade is like NW200 without motorbikes' - Cllr Darryl Wilson
A Ballymoney councillor has said that holding the town’s Spring Fair without a motor cavalcade is like having the North West 200 without motorbikes.
During September’s meeting of Causeway Coast and Glens Council’s Leisure and Development Committee, DUP representative Darryl Wilson requested a report on the possible reinstatement of the traditional cavalcade at the Ballymoney Spring Fair.
Cllr Wilson proposed that officers return a report outlining a comprehensive evaluation of the 2026 Ballymoney Spring Fair; a full, itemised breakdown of all event expenditure and associated costs; detailed reasons why the traditional truck, tractor and classic car cavalcade has not been delivered in its former format in recent years; details of all health and safety, insurance, traffic-management and operational issues involved; and a fully costed options appraisal setting out what would be required to safely reinstate the traditional cavalcade at a future fair.
The proposal added: “The options appraisal should include routes, road closures, assembly areas, stewarding, insurance, vehicle and driver registration, safety checks, agency consultation, potential external delivery partners, required preparation time and a full estimate of additional costs.
“The report should also identify any practical partnership or lower-cost delivery models involving local vehicle clubs, haulage businesses, agricultural organisations or other experienced stakeholders.”
Councillor Wilson said public feedback on the fair had become “increasingly negative” since its reintroduction 14 years ago.
“There is a perception that the event has been diluted from what it originally was,” he said. “Ballymoney is a market town, a rural town.
“Obviously that car, truck and tractor cavalcade was a huge part of Ballymoney Spring Fair and some local people said it’s like having the North West 200 without any motorbikes.
“I’m sure there are health and safety reasons surrounding vehicles and pedestrians in the same area, but I just think it would be prudent of us going forward to explore options of delivering what we had before.”
An officer said the report would be returned to members at October’s Committee meeting, while Director of Leisure and Development, Pat Mulvenna, said an events workshop was planned for November 16.
“We can discuss Ballymoney and other events, what has worked in 2026 and what we might want to change in 2027,” she said.