One of the great problems with a winter funfair is the unfailing ability of the British weather in throwing everything at you. However fun the rides may be it is just not fun if you are walking through mud being lashed by cutting winds and rain. The one way to solve this is to go inside but then you need space. Enter Olympia. The venue is renowned for putting on big exhibitions, sometimes more than one at a time and with the space available, and the height you can get even the biggest fairground rides into the halls, even a swing ride which gets close to the ceiling.
The new problem is not to make them seem too overwhelmed by the venue but the two halls used begin with the smaller of the pair. This has more of the sedentary rides, carousel etc but there are a several for adults too. I even took off my jacket so a great change from the freezing cold. There is a cloakroom and being a major event venue the toilets are not the portacabins you might find at your local funfair.
The larger hall has a full sized dodgem car setup and a decent sized ice rink. Don’t be worried about the skating part as polar bear shaped skate aids are available for you to cling on to.
In the very beginning of the second hall is the circus tent. It looks small but that’s because it is dwarfed by the size of the hall. It is like a Tardis and is quite roomy inside. The show loasts about 40 minutes and is quite varied from an opening dance number that morphs into a troupe that is adept at fast running and diving through hoops often in tandem. It gets the audience into a great place for the acts to follow including a strongman/balancing act and an expert crossbow man – spare a thought for his plucky assistant holding those balloons!
There are clowns though in a footman type attire, rather than big shoes and wigs. A stunt cyclist is quite adept at hopping over prone showgirls and does things with a picnic bench you can’t imagine.
The highlight is the motorcyclists in a steel meshed ball of death. I have seen similar acts before with the renowned Zippo’s and it was a truly great finale.
Throughout are the various skill games that you find at the fair and a good range of foodstalls. Loved the noodles by the way, and a very creamy ice cream van received a deserved thums up from our party.
There’s a £37 entry fee which covers all rides including the circus and the rink. There are also family tickets available too at £145. See website for full ticketing details.
Open to 4th Jan