All the fun of the Easter Fayre returns to delight families in Great Yarmouth town centre

The seasonal celebration, which dates back centuries, is expected to draw thousands of people to the Market Place, Fullers Hill and Brewery Plain car parks, between Thursday, April 5 and Sunday, April 8.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council is running the fair, in conjunction with the eastern counties branch of the Showmen's Guild.

Among the rides and attractions planned this year are dodgems, a bomber, a fun house, and a helter-skelter. There will also be other fairground attractions, including candy floss, toffee-apples and doughnuts.

The event will kick-off with "Reduced Prices Rides Night", on Thursday, April 5, from 4pm through to 11pm.

Cllr Kerry Robinson-Payne, the mayor of the Great Yarmouth borough, will officially open the fair from the dodgems in the Market Place at 4pm, when she will hand over the ceremonial Charter Key for the duration of the fair to representatives of the Showmen's Guild.

The gold-embossed ceramic Charter Key was made by Ernie Childs, of Great Yarmouth Potteries, in 2008 to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the Royal Charter granted to Great Yarmouth by King John in 1208.

The fair will continue on Friday, April 6 and Saturday, April 7, between 11am and 11pm, and on Sunday, April 8, between noon and 6pm. 

Cllr Robinson-Payne said: "The Easter Fayre is a brilliant tradition in Great Yarmouth and this year's event promises another egg-travaganza of seasonal fun for families in the town centre.

"The fayre is a great way to mark Easter, the start of spring, and the start of the tourism season. It is a seasonal highlight in the borough's packed events calendar which I'm sure thousands of children look forward to every spring."

Fullers Hill car park will be closed on Wednesday, April 4, with Brewery Plan and Market Place car parks closing at 4.30pm to enable the event to be set up. People are asked to remove their vehicles by that time. During the opening hours of the fair, there will be a temporary road closure on Fullers Hill, at The Conge, down to where it joins Priory Plain.

Easter Egg Hunt, Great Yarmouth Market - Saturday, March 31

To get town centre visitors into the festive spirit, a free Easter Egg Hunt will take place at Great Yarmouth Market, on Saturday, March 31, from 10am to 3pm.

The fun activity challenges people to visit every stall on both the Central Market and Market Place, noting down how many Easter egg pictures are on display.

Everyone who takes part will receive a mini chocolate egg. All correct entries will go into a prize draw to win a giant Docwra's Easter Egg. Cllr Robinson-Payne will draw the winner out of the hat at 3pm. There will also be dance performances as part of the event.

The egg hunt is organised by Great Yarmouth Borough Council as part of Go Trade, a cross-Channel project to help revitalise historic markets for the 21st century and boost the wider town centre and visitor economy.