All the fun of Nottingham's biggest and best-loved fair is back with double the thrills and spills, the aroma of mushy peas and mint sauce filling the air, and Goosey, the Goose Fair mascot, back in her rightful spot. It has been three years ago since the city's famous Goose Fair last took place due to the pandemic but it will return with a bang.
The annual extravaganza at Forest Recreation Ground has been extended from five to ten days to make up for its absence over the last two years. It will take place from Friday September 30 to Sunday October 9. Before Covid the fair attracted around 420,000 visitors.
Dating back more than 720 years the free-entry travelling fair will bring around 500 rides and stalls to Nottingham. There will be something for all ages, from scream-inducing rollercoasters to more genteel toddler roundabouts.
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Adrenalin junkies can look forward to white-knuckle rides such as AtmosFear and Bomber Mach 2 while visitors wanting something a little more traditional can enjoy the dodgems, the big wheel, waltzer, carousel and ghost train. There will be plenty of children's attractions including roundabouts, fun houses, helter skelters and hook-a-duck.
The fair is as much about food as it is the rides and there will be an array of stalls selling mushy peas, hotdogs, burgers candy floss, brandy snaps and doughnuts. Recent years have also seen stalls selling Spanish churros, Greek gyros, Chinese noodles and Hungarian kurtosh, also called chimney cakes.
"The showmen are pleased to be coming back with it being three years. We don't know what new rides are coming yet but all the established ones will be there," said William Percival, chairman of the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Showmen's Guild.
Traditionally the fair kicks off at midday on the first day but due to the extended run the opening hours will be different this year. The opening times will be:
- Monday to Friday 4pm to 11pm
- Saturday noon to 11pm
- Sunday noon to 9pm
"With it being a longer period of time, because of the cost of fuel and everything else, we have reduced it down. Usually those days in the week it's very quiet in the afternoons anyway," said Mr Percival.
Goosey, the Goose Fair mascot, is set to come home to roost at her rightful place on the roundabout on Mansfield Road. Last year she had a flying visit to Old Market Square where the then Lord Mayor Councillor David Trimble carried out the centuries-old tradition of reading the charter and as a symbolic gesture rang the bell which usually signals the fair's official opening.
Councillor Trimble said at the time: "We look forward with anticipation to Goose Fair being held again in future years and for it to continue to be a highlight of Nottingham's calendar. I for one can't wait to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, thrills and spills of Nottingham's Goose Fair again. I hope that this fair will come back bigger, bolder and even better that ever before."
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