Annual charity bazaar.
Each year the Ecumenical Kermesse collects old and new items to sell for charity, and the 2010 edition takes place on Saturday 4th December in the Espace Fontvieille. From 10:00 to 18:00, entrance is free, with over 25 stalls selling books, DVDs, CDs, toys and more. There's a stand selling traditional specialties from Monaco's British expat community as well as stalls run by other nationalities.
Started by American Peggy Burr and previous vicar of Saint Paul's Anglican Church Brian Matthews, the Kermesse's first Honorary President was Princess Grace. Current president Jane d'Amico has led the event for 39 years and is committed to retaining its voluntary nature.
The Kermesse relies on donations of all kinds:
- English books
- brocante stall - china, ornaments, linen, kitchen equipment, sports goods, pictures, rugs
- British stall - home-made cakes, jams, chutneys, or specialty items such as Christmas puddings, shortbread, mince pies, teas
- electrical goods - CDs, DVDs, videos, watches, binoculars, cameras, computer games, telephones, beauty spas, small kitchen appliances, radios etc
- Christmas stall - decorations, wrapping paper etc
In addition to the grand bazaar, you can chance your luck with the tombola, which has over 40 prizes and costs just 2 euros per ticket. If you'd like to get involved, there are any number of ways to help, by selling or buying tombola tickets, taking a turn on a stall, and helping collect donations. Please contact the British Association of Monaco (BAM), or one of the other 5 organizations that share the proceeds: Chapelle des Carmes, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Reformed Church of Monaco, Saint Paul's Anglican Church, and the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.
