Whether flying rides, dodgems or the gallopers are your thing, you’re sure to find something fun in Baldock’s High Street right now, with the annual charter street fair in town until tomorrow evening.
The attractions on offer include a gigantic wheel that sends punters soaring hundreds of feet over Baldock – and another spinning ride takes on the appearance of a landing alien mothership after darkness falls.
Organiser Charles Abbot told the Comet how it filled him and his brother Cy with pride to return to town every year in their ancestors’ footsteps.
“The main thing for us is keeping the tradition going,” said Charles.
“The charter fair’s been in my family more than 100 years. My father was Charles Abbot, so was his father, and his father – it’s been Charles Abbot all the way through, though I run it with my brother Cy now.
“It’s very sentimental to us. When we come to this fair it reminds us a lot of them – everywhere we look, we see them.
“It’s sometimes emotional and it makes you feel proud to know that if they were still here, they’d be proud of us for still doing this.”
It was a Saturday night move-in at around midnight before a start on Sunday, which Charles explained is the toughest way to arrive.
“Friday or Saturday night arrivals are harder because the town centre’s more busy,” he said.
“It still went more or less like clockwork, though.
“It was a good day on Sunday, quite busy. We were very pleased to see it was such a fun day.”
The fun started at 2pm yesterday, and the fair reopens both today and tomorrow from 3pm to 10pm.
High Street traffic is being diverted around via Clothall Road during the fair.
The charter, granted by King John in 1199, permits an annual fair of up to four days from October 2 onwards.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here