The Abingdon Traditional Craft Fair started today (Friday Nov 1st) at the Abbey Buildings in Abingdon, and will run for Saturday and Sunday.

This annual event brings together artisans from across the region, showcasing traditional crafts. Alison Holmans from The Chicken Run Studio has been in the same spot at the end of the Long Gallery for the last three or four years.

Lots of the artisans practise their craft between customers. Chez Beccy designs and makes colourful items for the kitchen. She was in the lower hall.

As was Emma Baldwin’s elegant stall. Emma was a tutor at Abingdon College and other places.

Martin Wackenier of Devine Times Photography was in the Marquee.

In the Undercroft, Elisabeth Bailey was measuring out the clay for her pottery and on Saturday and Sunday will demonstrating pot making.

Here are some of her creations with one of the many arched windows of the Undercroft.

Also in the Undercroft was Thirzah Bragg who makes Textile art inspired by British history and folklore, and can be seen here embroidering thin sheets of copper.

This is just a small selection of approximately 67 artisans at the Craft Fair. More details are on the official website: https://www.abingdoncraftfair.org.uk/.

This Monday the Runaway Fair returned to Abingdon Market Place a week after the main Michaelmas Fair. The Runaway Fair traces its roots back centuries when it followed the main Michaelmas hiring Fair. Originally serving as an opportunity for employees to seek new masters, the fair has evolved into a fair where children can hop aboard a roundabout or eat candy floss.

The Runaway Fair is now confined to the Market Place, a change that occurred in 2022, making the event smaller but eliminating the traffic disruption. The only disruption now is to the Monday Market, which is suspended for two weeks to accommodate both fairs.

This year there was drizzle through the early afternoon and evening and the Runaway Fair ran away soon after 6 pm.

Clouds of candy floss were bagged up for the final day of the Abingdon Michaelmas Fair.  The weather forecast was cloudy with a high chance of precipitation.

But the show went on.

A fire engine was parked by the Abbey Gateway. The fire station is in the middle of the fair and so the fire engine needs to be ready to respond in case of emergency.

The other side of the Abbey Gateway people were enjoying the amusements.

There were dry spells with lengthy showers in-between.

Fine weather for ducks – a prize every time.

Along Ock Street there were plenty of brave people up on the rides, going round and round and up and down.

By the Drayton Road double roundabout there’s a swing roundabout that goes much higher and then down.

The Michaelmas Fair will disappear overnight and be back next weekend in a reduced size as the Runaway Fair.

The Abingdon Michaelmas Fair stretches across the Market Place and along High Street and Ock Street, making it the longest street fair in the United Kingdom.

Marshall, the fire puppy from Paw Patrol, was among the popular cartoon characters featured on balloons at the 2024 Abingdon Michaelmas Fair. Joining him was Bluey, sticking out at the top on another balloon.

While the cartoon characters may vary from year to year, food at the fair stays the same. Favourites are burgers, sausages, and chips.

Not all of us can understand the appeal of eating + disorienting rides.

I love the Mexican Food from Dorindos –

but not combined with the Extreme Speed of Vortex.

The weather held out well for the Monday of Michaelmas Fair. As the sun set at around 7 PM, the lights in the Market Place illuminated the crowd.

More tomorrow.