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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
National
Katie Williams

When is Glasgow Fair 2022, how did it get its name and do people still celebrate it?

Glasgow Fair Fortnight is a tradition that has been enjoyed by Glaswegians for generations.

The holiday takes place in July, where locals have been known to take a break 'doon the watter' and enjoy some time off.

Known as Glasgow Fair, it is one of the oldest holidays that dates back to the 12th Century after the Bishop Jocelin of Glasgow was allowed to hold an annual eight-day fair in July by William the Lion in the 1190s.

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The fair was first marked by mass of markets in the grounds of Glasgow Cathedral where horses and cattle were traded.

Over the decades, 'The Fair' became a local holiday, with businesses closing and people taking time off.

By the late 19th century it marked the start of two week celebrations with market festivities taking place on Glasgow Green. The fair attracted huge crowds including entertainers who wanted to make the most of the large crowds.

Impressively, in 1912, the Glasgow Fair included a simulated railway journey that took people through Japan and back to Scotland.

The annual Glaswegian holiday continued right through to the 1950s and 1960s when the phrase 'doon the watter' was coined.

The Glasgow Fair marked the time when Glaswegians, who could afford it, would pack their bags and go to the seaside for a break from the city lifestyle.

When is Glasgow Fair 2022

Glasgow Fair falls on Monday 18 2022 and is still considered a public holiday in the city.

While it no longer is the big celebration it once was, and with annual leave changing the way many of us take holidays, some Glasgow businesses still stick to tradition.

Have you plans got plans for the Glasgow Fair Weekend? Let us know in the comments.

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