Buckingham gets ready to welcome historic Charter Fair

By Hannah Richardson
Published 12th Oct 2022, 12:30 BST
Updated 12th Oct 2022, 12:31 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now
The first charter fair of the season takes place this weekend

The annual Charter Fair returns to Buckingham town centre this weekend. The fair will roll into town on Friday morning, October 14, bringing with it an exciting range of rides including The Joker and The Orbitor, juvenile rides, coconut shy, shooting gallery and more.

Buckingham was granted its first charter to hold the annual fair by Queen Mary I in 1554 and the second charter was given by King Charles II in 1658.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The charter states that the fairs must be on a Saturday and not any other day. Today the showman arrive on the Friday to set up and leave early on Sunday morning, returning the following Friday to set it all up again.The whole of Market Hill, Market Square and the High Street is closed off to allow the rides and sideshows to operate safely, and parking is suspended.Deputy town mayor, Anja Schaefer will declare the first fair open with the town crier at 1pm on Saturday, October 15.

The Mayor of Buckingham at last year's Charter FairThe Mayor of Buckingham at last year's Charter Fair
The Mayor of Buckingham at last year's Charter Fair

The hour between 1pm and 2pm is designated for local disabled children to have free use of the rides and sideshows provided to them by the Nichols Brothers.

Cllr Robin Stuchbury, chair of the Town Centre & Events Committee, said: “The community will be welcoming the showman families back into our market town for the Buckingham Charter Fair.

"This annual event is part of the historic fabric of the town, a key part of the town’s civic life and the community who join together to experience all the amusements.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A full road closure will in force for the town centre from 7am on Friday, October 14, until noon on Sunday, October 16.

The bus stand in the town centre will be closed between 10am on Friday to 6am on Sunday, and bus routes will be diverted.

Details for the bus diversions and road closure are shown on Buckingham Town Council’s website.

After leaving Buckingham on Sunday, the Charter Fair will return to the town centre on Friday, October 21, to be opened by the Mayor of Buckingham, the town crier and head showman Marshall Nichols at 1pm near the White Hart on Saturday, October 22.

Related topics:Buckingham