A tale of two cities

I feel proud to be associated with the two cities that between them host the oldest and largest travelling funfairs in Europe, namely Nottingham Goose Fair and Hull Fair. They've been in existence since the late 13th Century and now will regularly pull in over half a million punters. After leaving Nottingham at the end of the first week in October the caravans literally roll from one to the other, pitching up at Walton Street in Hull where they do it all over again. These days I just pop along for an hour to take some snaps and, most importantly, have my annual fix of the world famous mushy peas. Don't judge me.

All set fair

Since returning to Nottingham in 2017 an annual ritual of mine has been to pay a visit to Goose Fair. Just as the early Autumn light is fading I'll walk up to the bus stop at the top of the road and catch a No. 17 and, five minutes later, alight at the Forest Rec. This travelling fair, the largest in Europe, has been a regular fixture in Nottingham's calendar since 1284. Yep, those travelling showmen have been coming back for 740 years. Imagine all the loose change that's fallen down the back of the waltzers in that time.

Not that I go on the waltzers these days, or indeed any ride come to that. In the sixty minutes I give myself (there's always a pint waiting at the Lincolnshire Poacher with my name on it), I've just got time to wade thru the hordes, reconnoiter the rim (Deadwood reference), dive into the middle at some point for mushy peas & mint sauce, whilst all the time pointing my camera at anything and anybody that interests me. And this year was no different...