Goose Fair, Nottingham
Goose Fair dates back to at least the Medieval period and gets its name from the thousands of geese that were driven from the Fens to be sold in Nottingham.
Morphed nowadays into a giant fun fair it takes place over a five-day period at Forest Recreation Ground usually in early October.
An estimated 400,000 people visit the fair each year.
History
The fair is over 700 years old but when it all began exactly is lost in the mists of time. First mention of the fair is in a royal charter of 1284 but the event is thought to have predated the charter.
The fair has been held continuously ever since except in 1646 due to an outbreak of bubonic plague, during World War I and World World War II and again in 2020 due to Covid-19.
Farmers from Cambridge, Lincoln, and Norfolk would bring their geese (along with other livestock and produce such as cheese) to Nottingham market to be sold in time for Michaelmas, which was the traditional end of the harvest season in late September.
The name "Goose Fair" was first recorded in 1541. The event was originally held at Nottingham's Old Market Square but moved to Forest Recreation Ground in 1928.
By the end of the 19th century the agricultural and trade elements of the fair began to diminish and the entertainment factor took precedence.
Goose Fair is opened by the Lord Mayor of Nottingham ringing a pair of silver bells. The appearance of "Goosey" - a giant fiberglass and wooden statue of a goose signals the official countdown.
Access
Forest Recreation Ground
Nottingham, NG7 6JP
Regular trams run to Forest Recreation Ground. In addition there are local buses to nearby Mansfield Road and Sherwood Rise.
Rides
Well over 500 fairground rides attend the fair including both traditional family affairs and those appealing to a younger, thrill-seeking generation. These include high-speed roller coasters, giant Ferris wheels and a spinning swing carousel.
One blast from the past is the Brooklyn Cake Walk which has been at the fair since 1905. Bostock and Wombwell's Menagerie displayed exotic animals from 1805 until the 1930's. Madame Tussaud exhibited her famous waxworks in 1819 and again in 1829.
No fair would be complete without refreshments and visitors can enjoy a full selection of fairground food: brandy snaps, candy floss, hotdogs, mushy peas with mint sauce and, of course, toffee apples.
Hotels
Nottingham has a wide range of accommodation options to choose from.
These include the four-star De Vere Orchard Hotel, adjacent to the East Midlands Conference Centre, the centrally-located Hart's Hotel, also four stars, Jurys Inn Nottingham and the three-star Holiday Inn Nottingham at Castle Marina Park.
See a complete listing of hotels in Nottingham.
Hotels in the UK
Book Hotels in England - Booking.com
Find Accommodation in London - Booking.com
Search Hotels in Scotland - Booking.com
Hotels in Northern Ireland - Booking.com