There are many thousands of people — and plenty of dogs — who come to enjoy the funfair, some wide-eyed with excitement, others rather more long-suffering.

There are the stallholders running all sorts of games of skill and luck.

And the food vendors offering irresistible, if not exactly healthy, treats. How good is candy floss for you?

At every junction there’s a barrier and a parked vehicle to make sure no one can accidentally — or deliberately — drive into the crowd. One of the Town Council trucks can be seen at Conduit Road (along with a watchful cat).

There are the Police, PCSOs, and other security staff keeping an eye on things. Also seen here with the Police are some Street Pastors — there to offer a friendly presence, a listening ear, and practical help where needed.

There are the first aiders, ready to respond to the occasional bump or dizzy spell.

And behind it all, Bob Wilson Funfairs, who organise the fair under agreement with the Town Council. They even bring their own photographer and drone to capture the spectacle stretching from the end of Ock Street to the Market Place.

Everything is taken down with great speed once the fair closes, the lights are used to help as dismantling begins around 10:30 pm.

By the early hours, rides have folded away, trucks are loaded, and the convoy heads off to the next stop — the annual Mop Fair at Stratford-upon-Avon on 11 and 12 October, also run by Bob Wilson Funfairs.

By Wednesday morning in Abingdon, there will be little sign of the fair that filled the streets with colour and noise — just a few stacked barriers, a handful of out-of-date signs, and a lighter wallet. Children’s rides were around £3 this year, most adult rides about £5. Burgers and hot dogs cost £6, cheeseburgers £7 — though you could have picked up a burger for a lot less at the local takeaways which do undercut the fairground price.

The Monday of the Michaelmas Fair brought sunshine and blue skies — not the usual Abingdon Fair weather. Most of the big rides can be seen in the video above.

The fair is a huge event, filling the streets of Abingdon with rides such as the 40-metre-high Booster (above).

As the sun set, an orange glow spread over the town, and the fair grew even more spectacular — bright lights flashing, music and megaphone calls echoing, and crowds of excited visitors, especially the younger ones.

Much of the town centre closes to traffic for the fair, including Ock Street and the High Street from the Market Place. Its origins go back to the years following the Black Death of 1348–49, when justices of the peace set wage rates for the coming year at Michaelmas. Hiring agreements were made at the same time, giving rise to the Michaelmas hiring fair — a tradition that lasted into the early 1900s. Over time it evolved into the fun fair we enjoy today.

More pictures to follow on Tuesday when the moon will be full. It looked full on Monnday.