Among the 350 rides and attractions this year will be Elevate 85, the tallest ride in the fairs 700+ years’ history.
Visitors need a head for heights at Goose Fair (Image: Nottingham Post/Joseph Raynor )
The bright lights, excitement and and thrills of Nottingham’s Goose Fair will soon be back.
The officially opening will take place at noon on Friday, September 25, at Forest Recreation Ground, when the bell is rung by the Lord Mayor in a centuries-old tradition.
Djanogly City Academy Choir will be giving a performance at the ceremony and seventh generation showman Sheldon Chadwick will give a reading.
Goose Fair means different things to different people. For some it’s about soaking up the atmosphere, for others it’s the fairground food and for the fearless it’s the exhilaration of the white-knuckle rides that will leave their nerves in shreds.
Among the 350 rides and attractions this year will be Elevate 85, the tallest ride in the fairs 700+ years’ history.
Standing at 280ft (85m), the Starflyer-style ride is taller than the top of Nottingham’s Council House dome and (200ft) and the Victoria Centre flats (246ft).
Also making its Nottingham Goose Fair debut is Psycho — as the name suggests this is no gentle ride, with crazy looping spins and swings through the air.
Joker Breakdance — the only ride of its kind touring the country — is another newcomer to Nottingham. Expect to scream on the high-speed ride’s cars spin and whip around with special effects such as fire cannons, smoke machines and lasers.
The fair’s second highest ride is Skyfall. The world’s tallest portable drop tower, a mere 262ft tall, will be back after its popular debut last year.
Revellers will find all the classics, including ghost trains, waltzers, dodgems, gallopers, big wheels, helter skelters, children’s roundabouts and funhouses.
The oldest ride goes back more than 100 years. The old-fashioned cakewalk, which stands alongside the fast and exhilarating attractions, is the only ride that dates back to the time Goose Fair was held in Old Market Square, before its move to the current site.
Introduced around 1907, the clanking moving walkway remains a hit today with fair-goers young and old.
Full list of returning rides at Goose Fair 2026
- The Booster Maxx
- The Hulk
- Midnight Express
- Apollo 13
- Fighter
- Tornado 2
- Freak Out
- Gravity
- Amosfear
- Storm
- Extreme
- Icejet
- King Miami
- Twister
- Jump n Smile
- Rhythm Dancer
- Magic Mouse
- Aerospace
- Top Scan
- Turbo
- Sizzler
- Tiki Launcher
- Crazy Bulls
- Toxic
- Stargate
- Air
- Superbowl
There’s just one amusement arcade at the fair. Now a rarity, there used to be many travelling arcades. Players will find grabber machines, fruit machines and penny falls amongst the games.
The fair will run until Sunday, October 4. Following a hugely successful trial in 2024, SEND sessions will be returning once again, taking place on Sundays from noon until 1pm.
These sessions allow children and people with special educational needs and disabilities to enjoy the fair without the loud noises and bright lights.
