Throwback Thursday: Ferris wheel

A friend of mine posted an image on FB of a Ferris wheel at night. I liked the image very much. While chatting with her online, I checked the archive of this blog to see, if I have one of my own images already online. I found a couple of other funfair related posts i.e. here, here, and here. The image I was looking for, I unfortunately only have on my other blog to showcase as an example for the “Kirmeslichter” (lights at a funfair) workshops, I’m offering. This year I didn’t offer that workshop, because there were no funfairs because of the COVID19 pandemic.

Each year in September the funfair comes to my town, but not in 2020. Nearly every year I’m out for at least one night to capture these special lights. The Ferris wheel is usually the center of such a funfair. That one year, there was another circling attraction right behind the Ferris wheel and I was waiting with my camera for a moment when both of them were operating. The carousel in the background only has two arms with a gondola for about 8 people in each. When in operation, the gondolas are circled first in one direction and after a short stop, in the other direction. I can’t imagine how it could feel sitting in one of the gondolas.

Sept. 9th, 2009

Take care!

WPC: nostalgia

This week’s topic for the weekly photo challenge by “The Daily Post” is “nostalgia”.

Literally, nostalgia means to love something old, old-fashioned or vintage. Jeff came up with some of his childhood memories. Others like i.e. vintage cars or old houses.

Here we haven an image, taken last year at our local fun fair on a photowalk with a model and an assistant. She came up with this idea. You can see, even a modern girl can enjoy an old-fashioned, Mary-Poppins-like carousel.

Take care have a great weekend!

(as usual, you can see the photo enlarged, when clicking in it)

On a trip with Mary Poppins

Do you know the stories of Mary Poppins, Jane and Michael’s nanny?

One day, when their father was looking for a new nanny for his kids the wind turned east and Mary Poppins arrived in the Cherry Tree Lane number 17 on a gust of the East Wind. She greets their mother, and slides up the banister. Now, Jane and Michael’s lives are turned magically upside down.

On one trip the kids and Mary Poppins met a carousel, just like the one in my photo. Although on the carousel I met no-one was able to ride one of the carousel horses free and follow the real horses on their track by leaving the carousel, like carousel horses were able to do when  Mary Poppins with Jane and Michael entered the carousel. But I was reminded to those stories and edited this series to fit in that scene.

When I arrived at the carousel, it was spinning around slowly and the music came from the old fair organ in the wagon in the background. A very special sound, not comparable to current carousels.

I hope, you like it

Take care!

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Watching the parade

Last week, I introduced you to the idea of a parade on the occasion of a fun fair. In my region it is usual, to hold a parade on Sunday afternoon. Many people collecting ideas, build wagons, tailor dresses for or volunteer for being part of the parade. The parade is usually supported by several marching bands and fire service bands. As usually, the night watchman led the parade this year, too.

There were 63 motives (groups, wagons, one person displays, bands) this year on the 4.5 km track around the inner city. The parade lasts about 2 hours, but I don’t know, how long the participants needed for the course. Fortunately, it wasn’t that hot and it wasn’t raining. So, there were many people in the streets watching and supporting the actors. It was warm enough, but not hot.

This time, the slide show is quite large. There are 63 photos in this slide show, so be prepared. It was hard, to decide, which motive was too bad, to be put in this selection. I skipped most of the marching bands and other “music only” displays and I even skipped some of the motives to keep it short.

For quite bigger photos, I recommend clicking on the photo above and use the clickable arrows below the photo for you further navigation.

Have fun!

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Another fun fair

As I told you in two of my last posts, I want to show you some more photos taken at a fun fair. Every year, there is a fun fair here, where I live. It’s always at the first weekend of September, starting on Friday early afternoon and lasting ’till Tuesday night.

As I mentioned before, I like the smell and the colorful lights, especially at night. So, I was this time also at night at the fun fair. Here you can find some impressions.

As you can see, It’s much smaller than Crange. And it’s located in the streets and a big parking ground of the inner city, instead of a big place.

I’ll write another post regarding the parade held on Sunday afternoon.

Have fun!

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Daily Prompt: Can’t Drive 55

Today’s assignment for photographers at The Daily Post is speed.

Here, where I live, the annual fun fair starts tomorrow. So, I guess, it’s more than suitable to pick a photo taken at the fun fair back in 2009. I hope, you can stand the speed and enjoy the photo.

The colorful lines in the foreground are a result of a fast-moving carousel. It’s like an octopus. Several arms are moving up and down while they are spinning around a center. Each arm ends in a few cabins, each for 2 people. These cabins are also spinning around, but they are spinning around their base at the end of their arm.

More on this year’s fun fair in a later post.

Take care!

At night at Crange fun fair

Here is the continuation of my last Tuesdays post on my visit at the fun fair in Herne-Crange.

Today I don’t have to tell so much, because I explained most of the cultural notes last week.

For a  fun fair there is no entrance fee in opposite to the theme parks that don’t move. You have to pay for each ride by buying chips at cash desk and hand it over to the conductor right before you’re taking the ride or when entering the carousel. You can i.e. buy 10 chips and use them on any of the days the carousel is in town. In case, you know the next town, you can even use them there. But, they are only valid at the carousel where you have bought them.

At night all the booths and carousels are illuminated by hundreds of thousands of colored light bulbs. That creates a wonderful ambience.

In case, you’ve the opportunity to visit a fun fair, I’d recommend to go. If it is you first time, try to avoid a Friday or a Saturday night. These are usually the nights with the most visitors and it could be hard to enjoy the special mood in such a crowd.

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A day at the fun fair

As I wrote in my post on Sunday, I was at the fun fair in Herne-Crange last Saturday for taking photos. I love the sound and the certain smell of a fun fair. A German fun fair is usually for a few days in a city. In most cities the fun fair lasts from Thursday (or Friday) until Tuesday. In my region (Westphalia) there is usually a fireworks display organized and paid by the owners of the attractions at the last night.

You can find booths selling sweets like roasted almonds, roasted nuts, lebkuchen (gingerbread), candyfloss, fruits covered by chocolate or a special colored sugar, french crepes, fried mushrooms, ice cream, fish rolls, french fries and of course stands selling beer or bratwurst (fried sausage). At other booths you can buy gems, shoes, flowers, baseball caps, sunglasses. But there are also booths selling fortunes, angling ducks (with winning numbers printed under them) or angling prices by pulling bands. And of course lots of carousels, rollercoster, bumper cars and usually a ferris wheel

A fun fair is usually a big event, when it comes in a town. Parts of the town will be closed for the traffic to give room for the people to come and enjoy. The booths are set up in the streets or on places and even the big carousels are set up during a few hours. When the fun fair closes at i.e. 1 a.m. at the last night, they start dismounting at once. And most of the carousels are already gone at the next morning, about 6 or 7 hours after closing. Amazing!

In 4 weeks there is a fun fair here, where I live and I guess, I’ll be able to show some further photos and tell a little bit more. In case, you have a question, don’t hesitate to use the comment section below to send them in. I’ll try to answer it.

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People@Crange fun fair

Today’s post is a little bit out of me regular schedule. That’s because I proposed the two ladies to put that photo online today. So, here it is 🙂

Yesterday I was at a fun fair in Crange. Crange is part of the city Herne in the northern Ruhr area. The fun fair lasts nearly 2 weeks and is the biggest here in the region (although Duesseldorf, our state capitol, reclaims their 2 weeks lasting Rhine fun fair as the biggest in our state).

Nevertheless, I was there with some friends for taking photos and you will see them on the next two Tuesdays. First I’ll show some impressions of a German fun fair and next week I’ll complete it with some night shots.