Festival and fairs are a great way to get your family out of the house for a day or weekend of fun, food and entertainment. But before you head to the next fair make sure that you talk with your family ahead of time about what they want to see, hear, and try. This will save you a lot of time wandering around aimlessly and allows everyone to focus on what they really want to see or do. Plus, it’s always good to bring plenty of water, especially if the weather is hot and humid.
Economic Benefits
Events, festivals and fairs are important to a town or region’s economy because they attract visitors who spend money. These visitor expenditures stimulate the growth of tourism and non-tourism related businesses. They also engender positive community identity.
The economic benefits of special events, festivals and fairs are easy to see – they attract tourists who spend money on admission tickets, food, beverages, souvenirs and other services. They can also serve as an indirect form of marketing for local businesses, as people who attend the event will tell their friends and family members about it.
In addition to generating tourism income, festivals and fairs can boost the economies of a community by providing jobs, stimulating spending in non-tourism-related sectors, and fostering a sense of community pride. They can also provide a source of revenue for government entities, such as parking fees, ticket prices, and admission taxes.
Celebrating the Social Order
Historically, civic* and religious* festivals aimed to show that the world was in order and offered people comfort by affirming their sense of community. The calendar of religious holidays reassured them that life was structured and the afterlife provided meaning and purpose. These festivities also highlighted the importance of honoring ancestors.
Challenging the Social Order
While most events celebrated harmony and the social order, some used images of misrule to stoke popular resentment. These images, which could be seen as a return to primitive desires, may have encouraged a sense of freedom and playfulness that countered the perceived burdens of life in late Roman society.
During the Renaissance, many European towns and cities hosted frequent fairs that lasted for weeks. They were the only places where merchants from different parts of Europe could meet to buy and sell goods. They were also where financiers met to arrange loans and set interest rates. These fairs were an important part of the international money markets. In fact, they are credited with helping to give rise to the modern banking industry. During the fairs, there was a thriving trade in textiles, silks, and spices. They were also important for introducing new crops and techniques to the rest of Europe. These trading opportunities contributed to the rise of the middle class in Europe. In turn, the middle class helped to fuel the industrial revolution and shape the economy of many countries today. This is why it is important to keep these traditions alive.