Contrary Life

Contrary Life is a website covering quirky events across the UK.

  • Home
  • About
  • Events by region
    • North East
    • North West
    • Yorkshire
    • East Midlands
    • West Midlands
    • East
    • London
    • South East
    • South West
    • Scotland
    • Northern Ireland
    • Wales
Home > Archives for Fair

Archives for Fair

An entertainer at the North End Road Festival

Go green at autumn festival

This weekend, enjoy food, live music, rickshaw rides and entertainment from living trees and a giant mechanical tortoise at autumn festival…

Egremont Crab Fair - Gurning World Championships

A crab fair and competitive gurning in Cumbria

This weekend, Cumbria will host some competitive face pulling, alongside one of the oldest fairs in the world and a quirky apple tradition…

Culture Night Belfast 2019

Brilliant trails and a bijou speakeasy on a bus at Culture Night

Belfast will be hosting a two-day extravaganza with hundreds of free, family friendly events across the city centre and beyond…

Saltaire Festival 2017 - Rainbow Morris

Lifesize puppets and pop up events at Saltaire Festival

Expect quirky street theatre, wonky games, eclectic displays and hidden heroes in Yorkshire this month at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Saltaire…

Vintage By The Sea 2018

Immersive art and a pop up schoolroom at Vintage by the Sea

Head to the Lancashire seaside and enjoy a vintage bike ride, a pooch parade, break dancing lessons and some seaside mini golf with a difference…

Micklegate Run Soapbox Challenge - Photo Minster FM

Soapboxes take to the cobbles in York

Participants in York’s most unusual road race are undertaking final preparations on their person-powered vehicles, ready for the fourth annual Micklegate Run Soapbox Challenge…

Hythe Venetian Fete

Unique decorated floats at Hythe Venetian Fete

Watch an illuminated floating procession in Kent this month, as Hythe’s unique annual event takes place…

Lytham 1940s Wartime Weekend - Lytham Square entertainment

Step back in time as Lytham hosts 1940s weekend

Lytham 1940s Wartime Weekend will be taking place this weekend bringing music, dance and a touch of nostalgia to the Lancashire seaside town…

Ipswich Historic Waterfront Trail

Join pirates and sailors at Ipswich Maritime Festival

This weekend, Ipswich will be celebrating all things nautical with pirate crews, Georgian sailors, maritime themed inflatables and ships…

Queensferry Burryman

A strange character appears in Edinburgh

Tomorrow (Friday 9th August) will see an unusual character, decorated in flowers, ferns and burrs, wandering the streets of South Queensferry, near Edinburgh…

Chap Olympiad 2014 - London

Dandy chaps compete in fancy games at vintage fair

The Chap Olympiad is one of Britain’s most eccentric sporting events, where smartly dressed ladies and gentlemen compete in games such as Umbrella Jousting…

West Dean Chilli Fiesta

Taste the unexpected at Chilli Fiesta

Things will be hotting up (in the culinary sense that is) in West Sussex this weekend, as West Dean Gardens host their annual Chilli Fiesta…

Cumbria Steam Gathering

Camels and cream teas in Cumbria

This weekend, watch muck shifting demonstrations, vintage vehicles, kite flying displays and racing camels as the Cumbria Steam Gathering takes place…

Big Cheese festival - Caerphilly

Cheese racing, markets and quirky performances at festival

The Big Cheese festival will take place in Caerphilly with medieval entertainment, Vikings, a cheese market, quirky walkabout performers and a Great Cheese Race…

Ambleside Sports 2017 - Cumbria - Contrary Life

Traditional Lakeland sports in Ambleside

Ambleside Sports is a unique event featuring traditional Lakeland sports, including quirky Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling matches…

  • ⬅ Previous
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • …
  • 28
  • Next ➡

Curiosity of the Week

Woodhenge, Stonehenge’s lesser-known neighbour
Woodhenge - ©English Heritage, Historic England Photo Library

You have heard of Stonehenge in Wiltshire, but have you heard of its lesser known neighbour, Woodhenge? Find out more in our latest Curiosity of the Week…

Top Story

The World Egg Throwing Championships are no yolk
World Egg Throwing Championship 2016

Are you a tosser? If so, you may want to head to Lincolnshire this weekend as the 15th World Egg Throwing Championships takes place…

What are you looking for today?

  • Alternative Sport
  • Art
  • Cabaret and Circus
  • Cinema
  • Classes, Workshops & Talks
  • Club Night
  • Comedy
  • Dance
  • Exhibitions and Installations
  • Fairs and Markets
  • Festival
  • Food & Drink
  • Heritage and History
  • Interview
  • Literature
  • Museum
  • Music
  • Nature and Outdoors
  • Review
  • Science and Technology
  • Theatre
  • Walks and Tours

Sign up to our Newsletter

Copyright © 2022 · Contrary Life