Henry III granted Ilkeston its fair charter in 1252. The old August charter fair and the October hiring fair were merged in the 19th century, and today it is one of the largest street fairs in the country, taking over the town centre for five days in the third week of October.
Ilkeston Charter Fair
Every year on the first Wednesday on or after 15 October, for 5 days · All day
© Garth NewtonCC BY-SA 2.0 Next
Wednesday 21 to Sunday 25 October 2026, All day
Free — Rides are paid
Sets off from
Market Place
Rides fill the Market Place and the streets around it, which are closed to traffic for the week. The fair opens on the Wednesday evening, and the Mayor opens it formally at noon on the Thursday by ringing two silver bells after the proclamation is read.
IlkestonDerbyshire
DE7 5QA
About
- Website
- erewash.gov.uk/your-borough/events-erewash/ilkeston-charter-fair
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Coming up
October 2026
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Day 1 of 5
All day
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Day 2 of 5
All day
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Day 3 of 5
All day
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Day 4 of 5
All day
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Day 5 of 5
00:00–22:59
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