Llan Fair

I found the pic above on a facebook page, which has photos of people who used to live in Llan Ffestiniog and who live there now.  The above photo is of the village Fair which is held every year on the 13th of November, unless that date falls on a Sunday and then it is moved to the following Monday.  Weather wise it seems to rain most of the time it is being held, and there is a phrase attached to this 'tywydd Ffair Llan' it is used if it is raining on the few days before the fair.  The fair is held in the square at the bottom of the village near the pub, and the road, the A470 leading to Trawsfynydd is closed for the day, as some of the stall holders set up their stalls there, it is quite odd really, it is the people who are walking who get priority on this day and not the car drivers. the pavements are left clear for people to walk on, and the stalls do not occupy them.  There was a plan to move the fair to Bleanau Ffestiniog a few years ago, but it was scrapped.  The fair has been in the village for hundreds of years.

I think the fair was first started so the farmers could sell their stuff I think and it was where the farm workers met their future wives.  I guess later on it became  more of social thing as it was the only fair around for miles and the fact that people knew the date of it I guess made people want to come along, there was no fair in the larger town of Blaenau Ffestiniog.

As I child I enjoyed going there and there were really large crowds there, I remember this little red train which I would go on every year when it came, I guess it is a bit too tame for children these days but I liked it. I also wanted to get a goldfish, I really wanted to win on. I  can remember as a child being really horrible to my brother, when I put sand in the goldfish's bowl he had won, I don't think I had won one or it had died.

These days, the fair is a bit of quiet affair really, there are a few rides there which the local kids and some kids from the neighbouring village come and have a go on, and it s chance to have  hot dog or some candy floss I guess. I guess with the rise of supermarkets and the like the fair does not have the same appeal and people have cars go to parks where they can go on rides all th time I guess. I am not sure what the future hold for the fair but I hope it last, as its part of the tradition of the village.