The Hoppings

The Hoppings is held on the Town Moor in Newcastle upon Tyne during the last week in June. It is said to be Europe's largest travelling fun fair, a claim also made by Hull Fair and Nottingham Goose Fair, the appearance of the same travelling companies at these events may justify all these claims.

Several origins have been suggested for the name. Most relate to dancing, the word "hopping" meaning a dance in Middle English (Old fairs included dancing). Another idea stems from the clothing which the travellers use to wear; that being of old, sack like tops and pants. Clothing often became infested with fleas from the animals that travelled with the fair. People were often seen 'jumping' or 'hopping' about itching from the bites which they received. Or the name may derive from the Anglo-Saxon word "hoppen" meaning funfair.

The fair began as a Temperance Fair in 1882. It was scheduled to coincide with Race Week at Newcastle Racecourse, during which the "Northumberland Plate" was awarded.

The fair took place at Jesmond Dene from 1914 - 1918 and returned to the more spacious Town Moor, just north of the city centre, in 1919.

Guinea pig night (Danger night) is the first night of the hoppings every year where all the rides are usually cheaper. It is said that this is because it uses the people on the first night (the guinea pigs) to test if the rides are dangerous. This however is probably just a rumour.

External links

* [http://www.newcastle-hoppings.co.uk The Town Moor Hoppings] Behind the scenes of Europe's largest fairground
* [http://www.genuki.bpears.org.uk/NBL/NCLLib/NCLFS8.html Town Moor Hoppings] : Newcastle upon Tyne City Libraries Fact Sheet 8.
* [http://www.hektor.worldonline.co.uk/minox1/hoppings.html The Minnox Page]
* [http://www.bobjude.co.uk/photo/hoppings/ Photographic Tour]
* [http://www.flickr.com/groups/hoppings/ A Flickr group dedicated to The Hoppings]