Historic goose fair returns without any geese

At a glance

Tavistock's historic goose fair is held for 2023
The event did not feature any live geese to help stop the spread of bird flu
Town mayor Andy Hutton said the event had returned to its pre-Covid size, with up to 25,000 people attending

11 October 2023

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Stalls, side shows and rides are set up in Tavistock for the fair
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The fair has been held in the town since the 12th Century
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Tavistock Rotary Club's Guy Talbot with a decoy goose
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Tavistock Mayor Andy Hutton said the event had returned to its pre-pandemic size
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Live geese did not feature at this year's event due to the spread of bird flu
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Traders come from all over the country for the fair
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The event was traditionally a time for farmers to trade animals
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Up to 25,000 were estimated to be in attendance

Tavistock's historic goose fair has returned for another year - albeit without any geese due to bird flu.

The one-day fair has been held every year in the Devon town since the 12th Century, apart from a two-year hiatus during the Covid pandemic.

Stalls, side shows and rides were set up in the centre of the town, with traders coming from all over the country.

Mayor of Tavistock Andy Hutton said the event had returned to its pre-pandemic size, with up to 25,000 attending.

He said: "We haven't got geese this year because of avian flu, but we've got everything else.

"We've got 20 to 25,000 people here and it's buzzing.

"Last year, after Covid, it was quite quiet ... people were still a bit worried about socialising."

The event was traditionally a time for farmers to trade animals, mainly geese ready for fattening for Christmas.

Tavistock Rotary Club used fake decoy geese instead of live ones this year for its guess-the-weight competition.

Guy Talbot, from the club, said: "We think these are the nearest you'll get to a goose at the fair this year."

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