“The fun fair is a very positive thing. People actually go to a amusementpark, or to a party. So everyone is happy. Having contact with the visitors is a lot of fun. But behind the coulisses it’s a bit more difficult.” - Diana Hoving Maasakkers, living and working at the kermis already her whole life.




The traveling fun fair is having a hard time. Workers worry about the decreasing amount of visitors and the increasing prices of fuel, electricity and rent. Despite their worries, they work with sophistication. During the ‘fun fair season’ the workers make a lot of hours. They often travel to the next place during the night, to open their stand in the morning and help their visitors with kindness again.

I, as well, was warmly welcomed by most of the workers during my research. For two months, I have been visiting fun fairs every week. Looking for stories that could give me a little insight in the life of people that work there. I talked to exploiters,(international) personnel and visitors of the fun fairs, and ate a candyfloss every now and then. The culture around the fun fairs is a special one with it’s own habits, values and an own language. Exploiters are proud of their stands and determined to sustain their culture.