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Appleby Horse Fair 2020 will not take place this year, in line
with Government advice about avoiding large gatherings during the COVID-19
pandemic.
**OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM BILLY WELCH**
23 March 2020 Billy Welch wants to let everyone know that he is disappointed
and sad that Appleby Horse Fair has had to be cancelled. ''As everybody
knows, he has been advised by the Government about the seriousness of
the situation. It is nothing like we have ever seen before. This is an
unprecidated situation that we have never experienced in this country
and in the world in the last 100 years.We have to take this very seriously.
It is worse than you can imagine. We must do everything we can to protect
the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions.To cancel Appleby
Horse Fair is a small sacrifice to make in this fight against this terrible
virus. Everyone in this country has to come together to try and fight
this.Billy Welch is appealing for everyone from the Gypsy & Traveller
community and the settled community not to come to Appleby this year and
- please do not even think of staying in the surrounding areas such as
road sides or temporary stopping places
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. Superb
Fair photographs at this Gallery.
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.
Map (2009) of main locations
Appleby Fair is a unique event, attracting around 10,000 Gypsies and Travellers
from across the world and 30,000 other visitors who transform the small market
town of Appleby, which normally has a population of 2,500. .
On the Sunday of fair week, between 20,000 and 30,000 visitors pour into Appleby
and onto Fair Hill.
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.
Superb
Fair photographs at this Gallery.
Interesting pages
on gypsy culture and history from Liverpool University.
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