Next to our building is a big square which is usually only visited by people taking their dogs out for a walk. But few times a year some events are taking place such as a circus stopping there, some puppet shows or a fair. Three times a year a fair is opened for several days with food stalls, some games and amusement rides. Depending on the season the size varies especially now during summer as most people are in holidays the fair is rather small.

I still remember the fair during my childhood days. It was a huge event and the square was filled to the maximum and there were so many people on the pathways that it took a long time to go around. There were even sometimes rollercoaster and other thrilling rides but this all changed. We went to the fair few days ago and it was shocking for me to see how few people were going around. Only half the square was used and there were so few food stalls and amusement rides that it was like a different world compared to my youth. At first we had planned to let Nathan try out some of the rides for children but we realized that there were barely any rides for him to try out. I guess this just shows how the world is changing and how the interest of people shifted as well. I must say ‘back in the day’ it was a major event in this city and people came even from the surrounding countryside but now it is just some small thing and barely anyone considers going there.

So we went around the fair watching together with Nathan few of the  amusement rides. This was one of the time were we wished MIL would be here so we could go on one of those as Nathan is still too small to join us. Towards the center of the fair we finally found one ride my wife could go together with Nathan. The “Crazy Carpet” was basically similar to a small ferris wheel spinning around and around for a while. Nothing too exciting but it was surely very exciting for Nathan as he even was a bit scared. Back in June during the city festival we went to the big ferris wheel and he didn’t care at all but I guess he got scared now as the whole thing was moving faster than the slow ferris wheel. The entire time the smell of grilled food was in the air and in between the sweet smell of sweets such as honey glazed almonds. We surely wanted to eat some of these delicious foods however we just couldn’t as we just ate dinner before going there.

Nathan was amazed by everything there. Watching the amusement rides, the music, the strange sounds and of course the people around. For me this fair was always a wonderful place and I used to watch how they build everything up within a couple of days. I guess it will be similar for Nathan later but then again the fair is just not such a big thing anymore and who knows how it will be in another five years. I also realized that the people changed compared to my younger years. There were many people drunk or on their way  getting there by drinking the booze they brought there. Police was present, security guards everywhere and medics as well.. I remember last year they were announcing that it had been a good fair as there were only a couple of fights and not too many people needing medical attention due to drinking too much. I checked then what they wrote 15 years ago about the fair and oh wonder, no fights, no one needed medical attention however they wrote that once again a visitor record had been broken, things just change…

Today I asked a boy we give English lessons about going to the fair. His response was ‘Why would anyone go there? It’s just boring’

Are there fairs around your area and did they change also over the years as in my hometown?

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