The second day of the fair was sunny, and here are pictures of a few of the rides. This is Formula 1, at the junction of Stratton Way. Policemen directing traffic was once an ordinary sight and is remembered on this ride.

The vendor of balloons was outside The Grapes and is not a ride unless you are a very small person and get carried away.

This is Extreme Power outside the Fire Station, and it swings high from side to side and has light effects.

Extreme was nearby. It goes round, at a slight angle, while the seats twirl.

Super Trooper was outside Pizza Hut and it goes up and down and round.

A view of a helter-skelter and Storm near Reeves Fish and Chips. Storm is like a huge propellor with people in baskets at each tip.

Body Count by St Nicolas Church goes around and tilts from horizontal to vertical.

They were all here today and will be gone by the early hours of tomorrow.

The Abingdon Michaelmas Fair opened this Monday with blue skies. Back in Victorian times, and before, this would have also been a hiring fair where farm workers could have found employment for the next year but these days it is a fun fair

with rides from the Market Place

through the Square

to the end of Ock Street

with burger and sweet seller stalls

with restaurants offering street food

and amusements throughout the day

and into the night.

Abingdon Michaelmas Fair is the longest street fair in the UK and takes place on High Street and Ock Street, Market Place and part of Stratton Way.

When I woke, I saw a trailer with a children’s Ferris wheel.

The top of West St Helen Street was closed to traffic.

Setting up the fair happens between 8 am and 2 pm. The run-in takes longer, and some vehicles and caravans arrive a few days before.

The rides are put into position and assembled. On the Market Place, The Victorian-style Galloping Horses take longer to put together than most of the more modern rides.

After all the poles and supports have been positioned and fixed, the horses await their turn in safety socks.

Horses are used for carrying people but must first be carried into position by people.

Later, at 7 pm, the Golden Galloping Horses provided the stage for the Fair Service, where people thanked God and the people who helped make the fair possible, including Mr and Mrs Wilson, Hebborns, fair workers and the town council. There were prayers for a peaceful and fun-filled fun fair. Hymns were sung, and there was a free ride.

The Runaway Fair is the smaller fair, with children’s rides, on the Monday one week after the Michaelmas Fair.

The fair looked fairly busy today when children had finished school (see picture above).

It is called the runaway fair because:
a) children often runaway from school to go to the runaway fair.
b) adults used to runaway from employment taken at the Michaelmas hiring Fair and found new employment at the Runaway hiring fair.
c) a few childrens’ rides runaway from the main Michaelmas fair and come back to Abingdon.