1998 Sunday 19th July.

The event attracted 178 exhibitors and approximately 17,000 visitors, The event now needs eight marquees, one provides the setting for the performing Arts with a stage, lighting, a dance floor and seating for two hundred people.

Our friend Martin and his team from Acts Sound and Lighting have invested in more equipment and a larger generator.

A team of young men and officers from the local Thorn Cross Young Offenders Institute have been enlisted to support people around the event, pushing wheelchair users and guiding blind and visually impaired visitors.

Lions Clubs members who were stewarding the main car park put out a call for me to get down to the car park ASAP, it sounded very important, when I arrived they suggested I take a look at the vast array of coaches and minibuses lined up, their business address looked like something you would expect to see at Blackpool, they were from across the UK, including, Newcastle, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Middlesborough and Birmingham, we already thought we were attracting a national audience, but this confirmed it.

PHAB UK were celebrating their 50th anniversary, this attracted their patron Rolf Harris to visit DAD to officially start the Heartbeat Hike. Rolf also made a guest appearance in the main arena where he sang his golden hit "Sun arise", he did this with the help of the drum and percussion section of the local Freshman Drum and Bugle Corps. This was for me, one of the most memorable moments in the history of DAD.

Previous Years

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008