A street fair in New York City

A street fair celebrates the character of a neighborhood. As its name suggests, it is typically held on the main street of a neighborhood.

The principal component of street fairs are booths used to sell goods (particularly food)[1] or convey information. Some include carnival rides and parades. Many have live music and dance demonstrations.[2]

Fairs typically range no more than a few blocks long, although some fairs, such as the 9th Avenue International Food Festival in New York City and the Solano Stroll in Northern California, extend more than a mile.[3][4] A fair only one block long is commonly called a block party.

Variety

Street fairs vary greatly in character, even within one city. Annual street fairs in Seattle, Washington, for example, include the University District Street Fair that feature the work of craftspeople and require that the person who make the goods that are for sale must be present in their own booths. The Fremont Fair features crafts from around the world, as well as the Summer Solstice Parade and Pageant, famed for its painted naked cyclists. In the same city, the Capitol Hill Block Party fences off several blocks, charges admission, and features some of the city's best known rock bands, while the Chinatown-International District Summer Fair has a distinctly Asian-American and Pacific Islander flavor, with taiko drummers, martial arts demonstrations and Hawaiian dance.

In Belgium, street fairs are known as braderies, which translates to roasting, referencing the frequent roasting of meat at the events.

List of street fairs

Gentse Feesten, 2014
The St Giles' Fair in 1905, photographed by Henry Taunt

Gallery

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Street fairs.
  1. ^ Wroe, C. (2004). Living Smart - New York City: The Ultimate Insider's Guide for the Budget Savvy. Limelight Series. Limelight Editions. p. 252. ISBN 978-0-87910-308-8. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  2. ^ "Ninth Avenue International Food Festival". Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  3. ^ Miller, Bryan (15 May 1992). "Critic's Choice; 9th Avenue Food Festival". Retrieved 23 January 2019 – via NYTimes.com.
  4. ^ Friedman, J. (2005). Eccentric California. Bradt Guides. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-84162-126-5. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  5. ^ "Ohio Festivals". Retrieved January 30, 2019.
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