As well as being an opportunity for local communities to come together, fetes usually have traditionally had a fundraising purpose as well – often raising money for the maintenance of the parish church or village hall.

There were an assortment of activities, games and stalls which featured in most fetes, which in many cases continuing up to this day. Games include skittles, bowls, quoits and the 'Aunt Sally' – often with a prize like chickens or a live pig. Other events might include a dance, fancy dress competition or baby show. A range of stalls usually featured in a traditional village fete, including jumble and 'odds and ends', 'fancy goods', cakes and sweets.

The first image shown here (ref: PE/WMT/SP/1/2) is from a notice advertising Worth Matravers village fete, in aid of the village hall. Advertising the prize for the skittles competition - a live pig - the caption reads "Skittle for me: I may be small but, like the bacon ration, I'll grow". This suggests the poster dates from the 1940s or 1950s, when rationing was in effect in Britain.

The other images (ref: D.2225, Acc 9136) are photographs from a fete held in Colliton Park in Dorchester (now the site of County Hall and Dorchester Library) in 1914, run for the benefit of St Mary's church. The first photograph shows a group of girls crowded round Edgar Lane's photograph stall, the second is of the fete's livestock pen, and the third shows a number of stalls and visitors to the fete, including the vicar of St Mary's, Reverend Collard.