The Appleby Horse Fair is held annually in the town of Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, in the North West of England, usually during the first or second week of June. The main events and gatherings, including the traditional horse washing in the River Eden and trading on "Fair Hill," take place from Thursday to the following Wednesday, with the weekend being the busiest.
Appleby Horse Fair is an annual gathering of gypsies and travellers and is known for horse trading. The largest gathering in Europe, the town of Appleby in Cumbria is host to the fair that is full of traditions and tourists, as the travelling communities come together to trade their horses.
Yes, anyone can go to the Appleby Horse Fair, which is open to the public, attracting thousands of non-Traveller visitors alongside the Gypsy and Traveller community who come to trade horses and socialize. While it's a free-to-attend, un-ticketed event, visitors should be aware it's a busy, traditional gathering with fast-moving horses and caravans, requiring caution, and it primarily occurs over a few days in early June.
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Is it safe to go to Appleby Horse Fair?
Thousands of people attend Appleby Horse Fair each year and do so safely. However, Appleby is a unique event, with fast-moving, as well as tethered horses around the town for the duration.
Before people come and say they can't be gay. Yeah, they can be. Sometimes male horses (both stallions and geldings) will mount each other but not do so with others. Or with mares.
Talk to older relatives for clues and family stories. Old family photos can help to identify Gypsy heritage. Photographs taken at gatherings such as hop picking or fairs might be a sign, although these were often annual events which brought together families from many backgrounds, not just Gypsies and Travellers.
When is the 2025 Horse Fair? The dates for the 2025 Appleby Horse Fair will be: Thursday 5 June to Wednesday 11 June, with the main days being Thursday 5, Friday 6, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025.
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The Appleby Horse Fair is billed as the biggest traditional Gypsy Fair in Europe, one that's like a big family get together. The horses are washed and trotted up and down the flashing lane most main days.
The ancient market town and royal borough of Appleby is right in the heart of the Eden Valley and serves as the focal point for all of the surrounding villages and hamlets.
During the Fair, particularly when the weather is fine, horses will regularly be walked down to the River Eden via a ramp on The Sands to be washed - as well as displayed for the crowds of people watching on the river banks.
The "1-2-3 Rule" for horses is a vital guideline for monitoring newborn foals and their mothers in the critical first few hours: the foal should stand within 1 hour, nurse within 2 hours, and the mare should pass the placenta (afterbirth) within 3 hours; any delays signal a potential emergency requiring immediate veterinary attention, as these milestones ensure the foal receives crucial colostrum and the mare avoids serious complications.
Ready to reproduce and accept the stallion, they can then present several external signs with varying degrees of enthusiasm: raised tails, urine squirting, winking of the vulva and other squealing noises.
New Travellers will also use public facilities - however New Traveller will seek sites near wooded areas or quiet private spots where they can dig latrines and bury faeces.
“Gypsies and Travellers have the same rights of access to the NHS as any other citizen. All residents in the UK can have NHS care whether they have proof of address or not.”
I'm from a Romany family and we use the term kennick for a house-dweller, kenner being the Romany word for house. We don't use it specifically for a Gypsy who lives in a house. Yes, the term pikey is considered to be offensive, simply because it is always used in a perjoritive way.
If she just crowds you, push her out on a circle and keep her moving and don't let her come to you. If she is very aggressive, you need help from an experienced trainer or put her down. Having a horse like that is dangerous.
Appleby also benefits from excellent schools and provides a safe environment, making it attractive to families. Eden Community Outdoors offers an indoor climbing wall, small cinema and meeting rooms, and there are adult education facilities at the Appleby Heritage Centre.
Transmission of zoonotic diseases from horses is primarily by direct contact when handling and grooming horses, contact with contaminated objects such as grooming tools, accidental ingestion of feces or urine or inhalation of aerosolized materials.
