THOUSANDS flock to Southampton Common each time the fair visits for Easter weekend.
Stalls line up alongside the path, attempting to entice with the opportunity to win large stuffed animals or goldfish.
Arcades blast out repetitive music loops while offering classic gaming cabinets from yesteryear alongside sliding shelves crammed with coins.
The sweet smells of cheap ketchup, fried onions and candy floss permeate the air, as the shrieks from thrill-seekers reach migraine-inducing levels.
Bumper cars promise excitement to a range of participants – from those that try to move around as calmly as possible to others that take every opportunity to smash into everything.
It’s not to everyone’s liking, but many of us have pleasant memories of whiling away the hours at the fair.
These pictures show some of the fun on offer to thrillseekers who visited Southampton Common for the Easter weekend fair in the early 2000s.
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