Host Town committee members Didee Bradshaw and Kaye Walker said preparations were "well under control". The committee’s WhatsApp thread pings daily as about 10 volunteers co-ordinate everything from live bands and a marquee for 800 guests to sponsorships and market stalls.
"We consulted with the community where people thought any profits should go. The pool roof was a clear favourite, alongside some small community projects," Ms Bradshaw said.
"It’s something everyone uses and benefits from — kids learning to swim, adults keeping fit, and visitors escaping the wind."
For a town of just a few hundred residents, having a heated indoor pool was a huge community asset — but one that needed regular upkeep, Mrs Walker said.
What had impressed her most was how people had rallied behind the shared goal.
"That initial meeting with the Cavalcade organisers brought in people who were there to represent a community group. But now, everyone’s working together simply as locals. It’s been fantastic."
The event is predicted to draw a crowd of more than 2000 for the market day and the evening hoe down event has capacity for 800 party-goers, making it one of the biggest events the town has hosted since the Middlemarch Singles Ball — a legendary event that once drew national headlines.
Next year marks 25 years since that first singles ball, and while the hoe down is not being billed as a singles night, Ms Bradshaw said with a laugh, "There might be a few couples who met back then and want to come back for old times’ sake."
For Mrs Walker, who has ridden in the Cavalcade’s heavy wagon trail over 22 years, this isn’t her first rodeo (read Cavalcade).
"I know the difference between a good host town event and an average one," she said. "We’ve got a brilliant team and a great cause — that’s a winning combination."
The host town tagline, "Middlemarch: Where Schist Happens", is a cheeky nod to the local landscape and sense of humour.
"It’s a bit tongue-in-cheek — the odd person has given it a sideways look," Ms Bradshaw said, laughing.
"But we’re surrounded by schist rock, and we enjoy a bit of banter, so we think it reflects the personality of our community perfectly."
