W-I-D-E on Wednesday: "Red"

Steveng is hosting today's Widwed challenge on the topic of "red", and as I was in Jesmond at the dentist this morning for Episode 2 of the replacement of a crown, I popped over to the nearby Town Moor. I was sure I'd find some suitable subjects at The Hoppings which is on this week. I wasn't disappointed as you can see.

The Hoppings (currently the biggest travelling fair in Europe with almost 400 attractions spread over more than a kilometre) first arrived in Newcastle in 1882 as a Temperance Fair: it was designed to be a counter-attraction to the annual Race week hosted at the nearby Newcastle Racecourse. The next 50 years saw the introduction of the well-known rides and attractions we still use today. For example, in 1951, the Rotor was introduced (the first ever spinning wall ride - and the most exciting one I was prepared to go on as a kid!) and in 1958 the ever-popular Hook-a Duck (which our kids used to love) made its first appearance.

In 1985, attendance dipped to 100,000 as a recession hit. The Hoppings was even at risk of closing, but after reducing policing costs and increasing the use of the car park, it survived (although in 2013 due to bad weather it was cancelled). It now has over half a million visitors each year (it was postponed of course in 2020 due to Covid-19).

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 as a spectacle). Another idea stems from the clothing that the fair operators used to wear. Lastly, the name may simply derive from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘hoppen' meaning funfair. I guess we'll never know the real origin which is lost in the mists of time.

We'll probably visit during open hours later in the week so there may be another blip from it to add to this one from 2015.