Ilkeston - Fair Week
w/e 24 October 2021
All of this week's pictures were taken with a Kodak DX6490
After last year's cancellation
the Annual Charter Fair returned to Ilkeston's town centre on
the 769th Anniversary of the granting of the Royal Charter in
1252.
The travelling showmen arrived in the town early in the week
and a line of vehicles parked along Oakwell Drive and their accommodation
formed a little community on the recreation ground. By Tuesday
morning the Market Place and surrounding streets were awash with
vehicles as the rides and stalls were positioned and assembled.
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On Tuesday morning a lot of the bigger rides were already in
position but there was still a gap by the War Memorial which
had earlier been surrounded by a protective fence.
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By Wednesday that gap had been filled with the Gallopers whilst
elsewhere finishing touches were being added to the rest of the
Fair ready for the start on Wednesday evening. Seen here are
Pimlico (top right) and East Street (bottom right).
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The official opening always takes place on the first Thursday
after the first Sunday after the eleventh day of October as decreed
by the Charter and crowds gathered in front of the Town Hall
just before noon.
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As a precursor to the opening ceremony, Johnny Victory sang a
medley of Music Hall songs and then there were speeches from
the Council Leader, Carol Hart, and the Mayor of Erewash, Donna
Brigs. Chief Executive of the Council, Jeremy Jurassic,
read the Charter and local schoolchildren rang the ceremonial
bells as the church clock struck the hour before the invited
civic dignitaries enjoyed the traditional free rides.
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And then later as night fell, the streets teemed with visitors
as the Fair really got underway for the next three days. All
the favourites were here such as the Big Wheel at the side of
the Town Hall.
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The Dodgems were in their usual position on the Market Place.
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And bright lights were flashing everywhere.
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Thrill rides galore were situated on the Pimlico Car Park.
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And it wouldn't have been the Fair without the Cakewalk. The
Fair drew to a close on Saturday Evening, by Sunday morning it
was hard to tell it had been here at all and now it's just another
twelve months to the 770th.
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