The Fantastic History of Goose Fair

Roll up! Roll up! Come and experience the sensational lights and thrilling delights of one of Europe’s oldest and largest travelling fairs! Yes, that’s right ladies and gentlemen, Nottingham’s Goose Fair returns to the pretty green plains of the Forest Recreation Ground this October.

With a history spanning over 700 years, Goose Fair is steeped in fascinating stories. Here are some intriguing historical tidbits to get you excited for its return!

---

First up… What the duck has it got to do with geese?
 

Today, the only goose you’ll see at the fair is Goosey - the two-metre timber statue that is placed on what is known as ‘Goose Fair Roundabout’ ahead of the big event. However, when the event first started, geese did used to be all the rage at Goose Fair. Hence the name.

In centuries past, traders from as far as Lincoln, Cambridge and Norfolk would walk their geese all the way to Nottingham’s famous market, just in time for the Michaelmas celebrations marking the end of harvest. As many as 20,000 geese were recorded making their way through the south of the city, waddling through Hockley in the lead-up to the fair. This annual spectacle is what gave the street its name - Goosegate.

---

The Nottingham Cheese Riots
 

Along with the geese, all manner of other livestock, food, and particularly cheese, would be sold at the fair as people stocked up their pantries for the winter months ahead. You can already imagine the ruckus of a busy market square full of farmyard animals, but when the Cheese Riots hit in 1766, absolute pandemonium was to break loose.

Nottingham had just been through a momentous building boom as more and more people headed to the city to find work. At the same time, food prices had risen sharply. While the day went by without much bother, the early evening saw an argument break out between a trader and some lads who were most probably bickering over the newly increased prices.

A full-scale riot quickly erupted, with great wheels of cheese rolled away by thieving fairgoers leaving debrie everywhere. Two men were arrested, another is said to have died - but perhaps the most peculiar (and amusing) part of the tale is the fate of the Mayor. After trying to restore order, he attempted to flee the chaos, only to be knocked down by a runaway wheel of cheese.

Have a think about that next time you're walking through the Old Market Square...

---

Awesome attractions at Goose Fair
 

Before the advent of planes, trains and automobiles it was much rarer for people to travel and experience new things, so the excitement was high when Goose Fair rolled in to town. Along with travelling merchants bringing along their wares, more unusual side shows were introduced to entertain the masses. 

Introducing the wonders of the world to the people of Nottingham, Bostock and Wombwell’s Menagerie existed between 1805 all the way until the 1930s. This wild and wonderful show featured exotic never-seen-before creatures such as elephants, lions and tigers, and the legendary Madame Tussaud even showcased her eerily realistic wax sculptures in both 1819 and 1829.

Over the years, other traditional fairground attractions such as freak shows came into vogue, but the popularity of this kind of ‘entertainment’ declined after the 1950s due to the prevalence of television and advancements in fairground ride machinery.

---

Rip-roaring rides
 

Today’s attractions and rides have quite the polarising effect. While some people adore being swung upside down and made dizzy as a spinning top, others prefer to keep their feet on the ground, admire the pretty lights and hold everyone’s bags.

Before the days of neon lights and laser shows, most rides at the fair were steam-powered. The jittery, clanking Brooklyn Cake Walk was first introduced in 1905 - and it still makes an appearance today! Whilst modest by today’s thrill-ride standards, the Cake Walk endures, preserving the vintage charm we continue to love about traditional funfairs.

---

Delicious delicacies
 

Alongside classic fairground sweet treats like candyfloss, brandy snaps, warm doughnuts and toffee apples, Goose Fair has developed its own unique flavour over the centuries. A comforting pot of mushy peas is sure to warm your cockles as you wander around the fairground - just don’t forget to ask for a dollop of mint sauce. It’s a proper Nottingham tradition!

No doubt the most infamous Goose Fair goodie is the Cock on a Stick... This hard boiled lollipop is shaped like a cockerel and tends to bring a chuckle to the fairgoers. But did you know - this comical candy is not merely a mass-produced gimmick. The manufacturer of the Cock on a Stick is in fact a local chap who has been making them by hand for over 70 years after receiving the secret recipe from his grandfather!

If that hasn’t whet your appetite and got you eager to come and enjoy the fun of the fair, we’re not sure what will!

---