Newtown Fair

We have lived in Newtown for six years now and a real highlight has been the annual Newtown Fair.   I remember pushing the pram with DD1 around when she was four months old.  I remember when she was eighteen months old and we had her facing out in the pram looking at all the people.  It was very sad as it was a week after we lost Joanna so the fair was a blur that year.  Last year I was pregnant, it was scorching hot and we used the opportunity to buy DD1 and her best friend matching pink hats.  This year, DD1 was four and finally ready to explore the delights of the newtown fair.

Sadly it was raining and cold, the first cold day we have had in months.   We got to the first intersection (just past the portaloo truck) and stopped.  There were rides.  Vincent and I had an unspoken agreement to let her go nuts.  While waiting for the little ride on cars to finish we went to the spin art booth.  Remember spin art?  A classic of the school gala, usually fashioned out of a broken down washing machine.  Paint everywhere.  It was my favourite, and my pocket money would invariably be spent on this.  Nowadays I'm afraid it is safe.  It was a purpose built machine, with a plastic cover over the top and little holes to drip the paint through.  Some of the charm is gone.  They framed it and gave it to DD1 who held it for three seconds then put it in my bag (still wet, but such is the burden of mums).  On the ride, (very tame, not the adrenaline rush she was after) then off the supermarket where Vincent had retreated to read magazines.

We marched on grimly, ice rain on her faces, DD1's curly hair peaking out of her rain hood.  I held her up to watch the fair donuts being made (one of my favourite things to watch as a child).  We shared a bag, with the lion's share disappearing down DD1's throat.   It became less fun after this.  We had to avoid a thousand stalls of stuff that DD1 wanted, and the novelty of walking along the middle of the road was negated by having to hold my hand.

DD1 started crying and there was lots of 'I don't like lots of walking.'  We resorted to the standard parenting  tricks of chocolate milk, distraction and then giving her a lollipop.  They got us back to the house.

There were quite a few gaps, and not as many goods stalls as previous years.  It was hard to tell if the weather had put people off (but there were a ridiculous amount of poorly attended shaved ice stands), but there was definitetly less area covered with stalls.  We had hoped to buy new hats, but no luck.  There were a lot of fantastic homemade craft stalls.  It made me feel all crafty and I came home and got on with a couple of sewing projects.  DD1 had a very long nap, and returned to her lollipop.

Newtown Fair today
Raincoat clad four year old girl
Green tongue, lots of fun.