The sights and sounds of Hull Fair can still be enjoyed this year thanks to a digital exhibition that launches this weekend.
The exhibition, Hull Fair, includes specially commissioned videos of the iconic and historic annual event, interviews with regular fairgoers explaining why the fair means so much to them, as well as pictures and objects that have been kindly submitted by the public.
Councillor Marjorie Brabazon, chair of Hull Culture and Leisure, said: “Hull Fair is iconic, every year it brings together families and friends and puts smiles on the faces of both young and old.
“It’s terribly sad that due to the Covid-19 pandemic the fair cannot take place this year, however I hope that this exhibition will still ignite our excitement and love of the fair by recreating its sights and sounds, and exploring its history through the treasured memories of fairgoers.”
Earlier this year, people submitted pictures and objects linked to Hull Fair which have also been included in the digital exhibition.
The digital exhibition, which launches on the Humber Museums website on Saturday 5 September, will feature a multisensory 10-minute walk-through of the fair, filmed last year, featuring all of its familiar sights and sounds.
Nova Studios, working with author Russ Litten, has produced a video exploring the history of the fair which includes interviews with fairgoers who explain why it is so important to them.
Matt Stephenson from Nova Studios said: “It was great for all of us at Nova to work with Heritage Learning and Hull Museums again, particularly on a project that is so close to the hearts of so many people in Hull. The Fair really is part of the city’s heartbeat and we have some long-established relationships with the showman families and council workers who help stage the event.
“Working with local writer Russ Litten, our job was to listen to local people’s memories, record their voices and then bring together an exhibition film using vivid fairground-influenced typography together with Nova’s archive of Hull Fair footage and Yorkshire Film Archive footage, to really capture the sights, sounds and excitement of being at the city’s biggest and longest standing event.”
The revamped Humber Museums Partnership website was relaunched earlier this summer, it is a collaboration between Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and North Lincolnshire Council.
