Hull Fair road closures, times and everthing you need to know

Hull Fair will bring more than 300 rides and stalls to Walton Street

Hull Fair will open on Friday with hundreds of thrilling rides and attractions.

The annual event, which is more than 700 years old, is one of the largest travelling fairs in Europe.

It will open at 17:00 BST on Friday 10 October and will run until Saturday 18 October.

Visitors are being urged to use park-and-ride services and buses, as there will be limited parking available in the streets surrounding the Walton Street fairground.

The fair attracts about 600,000 visitors during its week-long stay next to West Park.

New rides for this year include what is being billed as the UK's tallest ride, the Big Ben Tower, which is 280ft (85m) high, and the Skyfall drop tower.

Opening times

The official opening of Hull Fair is due to take place at 17:00, when the city's Lord Mayor will ring the fairground bell.

The opening times for the week are:

Friday 10 October - 17:00 to 23:00

Saturday 11 October - 12:00 to 23:00

Sunday 12 October - Closed

Monday 13 October to Friday 17 October - 14:00 to 23:00

Saturday 18 October - 12:00 to 23:00

How to get there

Parking restrictions will be in force around the fairground.

Hull City Council said there would be limited parking at the MKM Stadium.

Visitors are being urged to make use of the two park-and-ride schemes at Priory Park and the Humber Bridge.

The council said details of bus services to the fair are still to be confirmed with the information to be added to the official website.

The fair has been held on Walton Street since 1888

Road closures

A number of road closures will be in place around the fairground.

Walton Street will be closed from 06:00 on 8 October to 15:00 on 19 October.

This includes lane restrictions on Spring Bank West.

Lowther Street will be closed at the junction just before Sleights Close from 06:00 8 October to 15:00 19 October.

During the same time period, Walliker Street will be closed from Anlaby Road junction. The alternative route for vehicles will be Anlaby Road, St Georges Road and Arthur Street and vice versa.

There will also be lane restrictions on Anlaby Road until 13 October at 14:00.

Pulman Street will be closed during the afternoon and evening at various times depending on the day.

Granville Street and Sandringham Street could potentially be closed in exceptional circumstances between 10 October to 18 October between 16:00 and 23:00.

Food and drink

Visiting the food stalls, lining Walton Street, is the highlight for many.

Traditional hot food options include hot dogs, burgers and Hull's speciality - sage and onion potato patties.

New food and drink offers for this year include Asian fusion foods, fish and chips and a mac 'n' cheese unit.

For those with a sweet tooth, Hull Fair is known for brandy snaps, candyfloss and toffee apples, with pick and mix sweets also on offer.

Fairground food favourites will be on offer at many stalls

History of Hull Fair

Hull Fair can trace its origins to a royal charter issued in 1279, when fairs were an opportunity to trade livestock and generally eat, drink and make merry.

It was originally held at Easter, before moving to September.

In 1752, Britain changed the way it calculated leap years, which resulted in the "loss" of 11 days from the calendar that September. According to local tradition, Hull people took to the streets as they thought the change would mean the loss of the fair.

The uproar led to a new date, in the second week of October, which remains to this day.

Hull Fair has survived longer than most. A law passed in 1871 saw the majority of traditional fairs shut down by Victorian politicians who complained of "grievous immorality", including rowdy behaviour and drunkenness.

The fair has been staged at Walton Street since 1888. Before rides became the main draw, it was known for musicians, circus performers, animal shows and other exhibits and curiosities.

Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.