About
The Mop Fair has been held in Cirencester since the 14th century — originally the annual 'hiring day' when farm labourers gathered with the tools of their trade (the 'mop' was a wisp of straw for carters, a lock of wool for shepherds) hoping to be taken on for the coming year. It gradually became a straightforward funfair, and today it fills the Market Place with rides, sideshows and food stalls for a single Monday.
The 2026 fair opens at 12pm and runs until 10pm on Monday 5 October. Free to wander; individual rides pay-as-you-go. Bring cash, though most vendors also take card. Market Place is closed to traffic all day and access to the surrounding streets is restricted after mid-afternoon — arrive on foot or use the town-centre car parks.
In Cirencester
Once the second-largest city in Roman Britain, today a lively market town with one of the finest 'wool churches' in England.
Read the Cirencester guide →