Tewkesbury Mop Fair

Mop Fairs, or Hiring Fairs, date back some 600 years. Back then, the fair would be held every October, where unemployed folk in a town would carry an item relating to their skills. Someone without specific skills would carry a mop head. Once hired, employees would receive a small token of money from their new boss, wear a bright ribbon, and go and spend said money on food and various games stalls.

These days, Mop Fairs have little in common with the fairs of old. There are no mop heads, no rich barons looking for employees, no peasants seeking employment. But the Tewkesbury Mop, which I attended, still took place at the beginning of October (the 8th and 9th), in Tewkesbury High Street, as it does every year. And there were still games to play. Many games, and many rides.

There was also a stark contrast between the scale of the attractions. From the thrill ride above, to a coin operated punching bag, right over to a gentleman selling children's toys, attracting attention with a bubble gun.

From day to night, the fair took on a different face entirely. The street was lit not by tungsten street lights, but by the many, many colourful lights of the rides and attractions.

It was in the evening when the fair really came to life. Even if, somehow, somebody was in Tewkesbury and didn't already know about the Mop, they would certainly have been attracted by the lights and sound from the High Street.

Whilst the fair may have broken tradition a fair bit, being more of a huge, two day street party than an opportunity for employment, it's definitely still a good yearly event for the town. Definitely one I'll be visiting again next October.

-Adam