How I’ve reached the ripe old age of 30 and still hadn’t gone to Hull Fair until a couple of days ago is beyond me – but there’s a first time for everything, right?
On Friday, October 4 at an earlier starting time of 4pm, the iconic and much-anticipated travelling fair – one of the largest in Europe – opened to the public on Walton Street for its 730th year.
The fact that the fair has been running since Medieval times actually blows my mind – I knew it had been going for a long time, but I didn’t realise we were talking more than 700 years!
With more than 250 attractions – from some of the craziest, white-knuckle rides in the country to more tame ones for the kids, classic fair games and delicious food to boot – it’s easy to see why Hull Fair attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors, year after year.
So, keen to see what all the fuss is about, me, my partner and four-year-old daughter made the trip across the Humber Bridge on Saturday afternoon to visit Hull Fair, which was a first for all three of us.
Whether you’re travelling with or without kids, I would definitely recommend doing what we did and using the Park and Ride service. Until about an hour before setting off I was intending on driving into Hull and finding a parking spot close to the fair, but I soon discovered that this would be near enough possible.
(Image: Hull Live)
Luckily, there are two Park and Ride services which run from both the Humber Bridge car park and Priory Park. I was worried that the Humber Bridge car park would be super busy, especially with it being a Saturday – but the whole process was actually really easy.
We did have to park in the overflow car park, but then it was just a two-minute walk from our car to the number 22 bus, which drops you off just a stone’s throw away from the fair entrance. It cost £4 per person for a day rider ticket, and under-fives travel for free.
From the Humber Bridge car park, buses run every 10 to 15 minutes from 5pm to 8.30pm Monday to Friday, and from 2pm until 8.30pm on Saturdays. Buses run back from the fair from 5.30pm to 11.05pm Monday to Thursday, from 5.30pm to 11.20pm on Fridays, and from 2.30pm to 11.20pm on Saturdays.
When we arrived at the fair at around 4pm on Saturday, it was actually a lot less busier than I thought. My little girl was so excited and eager to go on one of the rides, so she had a go on the Disney Mania ride close to the entrance, and loved it. I believe I paid on card, and it was either £3 or £4.
I then bought a hot dog for her from one of the nearby stalls (another £4) and we made our way past the food stalls to the rides. I couldn’t believe just how much choice there was when it came to food options – don’t get me wrong, there was definitely an excess of things like chips, burgers and hot dogs – but there were also some eclectic choices and cuisines from across the world, which I loved.
As soon as she noticed the candyfloss and popcorn, the hot dog was quickly discarded. Eager to avoid a tantrum, I bought her a bag of the good stuff and a tub of popcorn, which I believe set me back around £7.
(Image: Hull Live)
The first ride we went on together was the Disney Teacups ride, which cost £3 per person, cash only. It’s such a small ride – miniscule in fact, compared to the others – but it was so much fun. My little girl was in fits of laughter because of how dizzy I was getting – I had to actually take a minute before I got off the ride because I would’ve fallen off otherwise! I’m clearly getting old.
Next, after making our way through the ever-increasing crowds and stalls with an array of fun fairground games (and having to say ‘no, Minnie’ at least 20 times), my partner took her on the Crazy Circus Funhouse attraction. It cost £5 each, and accepted card payments.
Unsurprisingly, it all looked a bit manic – the stairs to get onto the first floor move up and down as you’re climbing them – but the little one enjoyed it, especially with the huge clown slide at the end marking the end of the experience.
(Image: Hull Live)
Next, she and I went on the Runaway Train ride, which was so much fun. If you ever visited the former Pleasure Island theme park in Cleethorpes, it was like a more scaled-down version of the Mini Mine Train ride. I did worry she might not like it as it’s quite twisty and jolty in places, but she absolutely loved it. I believe this one cost £4 each, and it was cash only.
Last but not least, the three of us went on the Crash Test ride, which cost a steep £18. It was obviously ridiculously expensive, but the ride itself was fantastic. It reminded me a bit of the iconic Grand National ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach at first with the high ups and downs, but then added something extra in the form of the circular cart we were in, spinning, at the same time. This was definitely the highlight.
(Image: Hull Live)
After about two-and-a-half hours, it was time to head back home. By this time, the fair was absolutely heaving, and it took us about 45 minutes just to navigate our way through the stifling crowds where the food trucks were.
My little one insisted on us buying her a huge Peppa Pig helium balloon (£8 each!) – which she described as ‘the best balloon in my ever life’ – but which then made navigating through everyone about ten times more difficult. It took a while, but we made it out of there in the end.
So, my verdict. Did I enjoy Hull Fair and would I go again? Yes, and yes. It was so much bigger and better than what I was expecting it to be, and I’m not surprised at all why it’s so popular. But is it absolutely extortionate in price? Yes – especially with a four-year-old in tow.
If, like me, you’ve never been to Hull Fair and are planning on going for the first time on a Saturday with young children, I’d recommend getting there as early as possible to avoid the nighttime crowds. Expect to also spend a lot of money – it isn’t cheap!
But hey ho, Hull Fair comes just once a year, I suppose.
