DE KERMIS,
EEN DOORLOPENDE VOORSTELLING Subculture research book 

“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 in 2015 is having a hard time. Workers worry about the decreasing amount of visitors and the increasing prices of fuel, electricity and rent.
Despite all these worries, people work with a lot of 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 again and help

their visitors with kindness.
I was also welcomed friendly 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 at fun fairs. I talked to exploiters, (international) personnel and visitor of the fun fairs and ate a candyfloss every now and then.

The culture around the fun fairs is a special culture with it’s own habits, values and an own language. Exploiters are proud on their stands and determined to sustain their culture. The culture around the fun fairs is a special culture with it’s own habits, values and an own language. Exploiters are proud on their stands and determined to sustain their culture.