Tewkesbury Mop Fair
Surfing the web is good. Especially good when you find things out that you didn’t know before. Take Monday morning for instance - there I was having a quick browse before heading off to work when I noticed Tewkesbury Mop Fair was happening that evening. Apparently the Danters were attending, which couldn’t be bad news, so off I trotted later that day.
For those uneducated in such matters, Mop Fairs date back 700 years, traditionally held in many English towns around Michaelmas Day. Farm workers, craftsmen and servants would attend, carrying an item signifying their trade. Those with no specific skills would carry a mop head, hence Mop Fair. Employers would mingle with the crowds, discussing terms and hiring staff for the coming year. People who had been hired would be given a small token amount of money by their new boss, replace the item signifying their trade with bright coloured ribbons, then spend their new found wealth at the fair sideshows and stalls.
Tewkesbury still holds its Mop Fair annually, with a focus rather more on the sideshows and rides rather than doing business deals. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing when examples of some of the best rides in the country attend of course!
The fair seemed to take over the entirety of Tewkesbury
One of the many fun houses …
… and one of the three ghost trains …
… and one of the three Miamis. Can anyone say dooplikashon?
Traditional rides attending included a waltzer
No fair would be complete without at least one set of dodgems
Spin!!!!
A shiny Superbowl
and on a decent looking cycle too
No shortage of spinning delights
All running full lighting and smoke packages
Everything was looking great and superbly presented
It ain’t a small fair when Buzzin’ comes to play
What’s that I spy over there?
Freak Out!
Waaaahhhooooooooo!!!!
Yay for KMG Freak Outs!
Shame about the relatively short ride cycle
James goes home a happy boy after getting a fix (or two) :>
your park’s amazingggggggggggggg.
i loved it.
Apr 15th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I live in tewkesbury, and im 13 years old. Me and my friends are already getting excited about this years ‘Mop’. 22 days to go! Its so great, Fantastic atmosphere. I would recommend it to people who dont usualy go.
Great pictures and Comments By the way !
Sep 17th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
oh my god its me and emily chew cant wait till 2 night and friday it the mop fair whoop whoop im 12 years old xxxxxxx
Oct 9th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
the mop fair is amazing i went there yesterday and it was awesome did u go on the freak out i did ha ha so much fun!
Oct 10th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
All these rides come to loughborough fair They are all awesome luv them all
Nov 17th, 2008 at 5:25 pm