2009
..Appleby Horse Fair held June 4-10
Appleby Horse Fair has existed under the protection of a charter granted by James II since 1685, and has survived an attempt at closure by Westmorland Borough Council in 1965. It is one of the key gathering points for the romany, gypsy and travelling community.
Factfile for the
2008 event issued by Cumbria police
The Fair runs from the first Thursday in June (unless this falls on 1 June,
in which case the Fair starts on 8 June) to the following Wednesday.
The 2009 Fair takes place from Thursday June 4 to Wednesday June 10, although it is in reality an extended weekend event, with most people arriving on the Thursday and leaving by Monday morning.
Appleby New Fair is attended by about10,000 travellers and other traders and up to 1,500 caravans park in the area. On the Sunday of fair week, between 20,000 and 30,000 visitors pour into Appleby and onto Fair Hill.
 Details
of 2009 event can be found on this public
services website. |
Tourists also mingle with the travellers to
watch horses being washed in the river and the sometimes dangerous galloping
and trotting of horses to show them off to potential buyers. Some shops close
down for the duration as normal life is disrupted by the annual tradition.
 |
The fair took place June 4-10 2009
(Pictured above are travellers seen above wending their way south after the
2009 fair)
Superb
Fair photographs at this Gallery.
Interesting pages
on gypsy culture and history from Liverpool University.
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