Imagine traveling and
getting paid to do so… wouldn’t that be ‘living the dream’?
Well, that’s the life of the
gypsies traveling with ‘The Original Gypsy Fair’. For nine months of the year,
members of the Gypsy Fair travel from town to town selling their wares. They
arrive at a set destination on or before Friday to set up stalls for the
weekend. The rest of the week they do as they please while making their way to
their next port of call.
The Gypsy Fair originally began back in 1991 when
Jill and Rob Romain, an English couple, arranged an opportunity for traders in
their handcrafted house-trucks and house-buses to get together to sell their
wares and display their extraordinary homes. They started with 10 house-trailers
taking part in a 10 week tour of the North Island and it’s progressed from
there.
Since 2001, Jim ‘Chappie’ Banks has kept the fair
running smoothly. Chappie joined the Gypsy Fair in 1993. He and his wife Venus ran
the hot chips and burger bar. Nowadays, they no longer travel with the fair but
instead take care of the logistics required to keep the fair going.
It’s not simply a matter of turning up at a town and
setting up. There’s council by-laws to abide by, venues to find which are suitable
to host the event, promoting and advertising, arranging where stalls are
placed, collecting rent, meeting new people keen to come on board plus many
other aspects needed to keep this iconic fair running smoothly.
At each venue Gavin Mackenzie
takes charge of where the caravans are parked and how the stalls are
positioned. Mackenzie has been traveling with The Gypsy Fair since 1995. ‘I started in 1995 at Orewa, in an Isuzu Elf
"cabover" camper.... what was meant to be a one off market for me is
now 22 seasons and 633 fairs in the past.’
Gavin exchanged life as a
sergeant in the Royal New Zealand Air Force for life on the road. This
enchanting lifestyle obviously suits Gavin, he’s happy-go-lucky, self-effacing
and care-free.
‘What you earn in the
weekend lets you enjoy yourself during the week’. It isn’t about chasing the
money – it’s about traveling, exploring new towns, discovering places along the
way, meeting people and simply doing what you love.
Last weekend the fair held their 23rd event for the 2016 – 2017 season at the Richmond show-grounds. This
season there are 23 different stalls selling an exclusive range of handcrafted
products and entertainment. Some of the stores were; a shooting range,
tattooing, glass blowing, freshly brewed coffee, an inflatable obstacle course,
body piercing, soaps and oils, incense and enchanting handcrafted flowers, embroidery,
fork art, hand made jewelry, wood craft, Segway rides, tye-dye creations, hot
chips & burgers, candy floss and sweets, children’s clothing, wind chimes, funky
boho chic clothing, lead light creations, bubble toys and juggling supplies,
hair braiding, hair extension and hair accessories and sea shells. All this accompanied
by Karloss’ musical talents performed on a captivating handcrafted stage.
Magical and masterful
Karloss has been living a nomadic life since he was 15 years old. Initially he started
off in circuses working with horses and then began entertaining with music in
his twenties. This free-spirited man has traveled for many years with this
colourful entourage in what is perhaps New Zealand’s largest fleet of privately
owned heritage buses and wagons.
Part of the convoy is a
distinctive, hand painted campervan owned by Sean Woods. It’s his second season
as a gypsy. ‘There are three things that make this way of life a success. One,
you have to be passionate about what you sell. Two, you have to enjoy
traveling. And last but not least, you’ve got to enjoy people’.
Recently, Louise Wilkins
left a corporate world in busy Sydney to join her partner Sean on the road. Leaving
behind a hectic working life to begin a carefree life on the road. Louise happily
said ‘I wouldn’t have it any other way’. Sean and Louise make and sell tie-dyed
clothing.
Another couple, Ross and
Robyn Simpson are enjoying their first season. They travel in their 1984
Isuzu bus with two dogs and two cats. Ross operates an inflatable
obstacle course, while Robyn runs a coffee caravan. What a great way to make a
living doing the things you enjoy while seeing the country.
To join the fair you need a skill, trade or product
that‘s unique (ideally handmade) and one that won’t compete with others. Having
a range of merchandise guarantees a variety of goods and assures an equal
opportunity to make sales. The Gypsy Fair prides themselves on their
craftsmanship.
At the end of day, after
the crowds dwindle away, the Village Green is the place where the gypsies
socialise. ‘It’s neutral turf and there’s no exclusion’. While staying in
Nelson the gypsies enjoyed a champaign breakfast in the Village Green as a
birthday celebration. Next up is ‘homemade dessert’ night.
Although members of the fair spend each weekend
together, they don’t live in each other’s pockets. Just like an extensive,
caring and supportive family they go their separate way during the week.
If you’re interested in
touring with the gypsy fair you can contact Gavin Mackenzie via their Facebook
Group page ‘The Original Gypsy Fair’. Or, email: hippyhil@vodafone.net.nz
What fun! An amazing bunch of colourful people, vans and buses. Do they come to the North Island? I see their Facebook page has a calendar of their whereabouts over the next few weeks under 'events'. I will have to keep an eye on it. Experiencing a Gypsy Fair definitely has to go go on my "must do" list. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the most important thing in a gypsy fair?
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