The street fair consists of a series of temporary booths erected on both sides of the main street of a town, or around a central square or park, if the town is laid out that way. These booths are built at the outer edge of the sidewalk, upon the roadway, leaving the passageway of the sidewalk at one side and the middle of the street at the other side. Most booths face the street, although often they are arranged to face both the street and the sidewalk. Each merchant builds his booth before his own store, making a display of merchandise in the booth, but selling goods only from his regular stock. Confectionery, notions, etc., are also sold from booths. At the street corners or interspersed among the booths of the merchants, are raised platforms on which free entertainments, such as juggling, acrobatic acts, legerdemain, etc., are given at stated intervals for the amusement of the people. In connection with the street fair, various special attractions are arranged, a balloon ascension one day, a parade of floats on another, and so on, according to the fancy or enterprise of the committee.
STREET FAIR BOOTH.—Wietlispach.
THE OBJECT.
The free street fair is intended not only to attract temporary crowds to a town, but to make the town popular to the farming and outlying community tributary to it. Many farmers live within reach of two or, perhaps, three towns; but the enterprising town—the one that entertains the farmers with free street fairs, is supposed to be thereafter favored with the largest share of trade.
STREET FAIR BOOTH.—Siemon.
Moreover, the street fair gives merchants an excellent opportunity to make the acquaintance of the neighboring farmers and residents of smaller, near by towns. This acquaintance ripens into a friendship and mutual respect that not only wins trade, but holds it for all time.
SUCCESS OF STREET FAIRS.
How successful the scheme of free street fairs has been is evinced by the fact that towns which have once held this sort of entertainment are always eager to continue them the next year, and the next—and are still holding street fairs. Seldom has the committee been called upon to collect a dollar of the original subscription—for the fairs pay their own way, and only cost each merchant the expense of his individual display. It is stated that no street fair has ever been a failure since the idea was first conceived, although of course the measure of their success depends greatly upon the ability of the committee and the enterprise of the merchants in making attractive displays.