Key Difference – Fair vs Festival
Fairs and festivals are two public events that most of us enjoy. However, many people use these two words interchangeably, ignoring the inherent difference between these two events. The key difference between fair and festival is their association with culture and religion; festivals are often associated with religion and culture whereas fairs are not. It is important to know this key difference in order to look at other features of fairs and festivals.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Fair
3. What is a Festival
4. Side by Side Comparison – Fair vs Festival
5. Summary
What is a Fair?
Fair can be described in a general sense as a gathering of people for various entertainment or commercial activities. However, it is important to note that the word fair can refer to different things in different places.
Given below are some types of fairs.
County Fair: These are public events that display animals, sports, equipment and different recreations associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. This is also known as an agricultural show.
State Fair: State fairs are often a large version of country fairs.
Street Fair: As the name implies, street fairs are typically held on the main road of an area; street fairs have booths or stalls that sell goods or transmit information. Some street fairs may also have live music and dance demonstrations, parades, and carnival rides.
Trade Fair: Trade fairs are exhibitions that allow organizations in a specific industry to showcase and demonstrate their latest products and services and to explore recent market trends and opportunities.
Figure 1: County fair
What is a Festival?
The noun festival has two basic meanings; it can either refer to an event that is ordinarily celebrated by a community, typically for cultural or religious reasons or a series of concerts, plays, or films.
Festivals that are characterized by their cultural or religious associations are typically commemorations or thanksgiving. Ramadan festival, Easter, Holi festival, and Wesak festival are some examples of such festivals. These festivals give a sense of belonging to religious, social or geographical groups. They are also typically associated with a particular set of traditions and provide entertainment for the people. For example, the Holi festival, the Hindu spring festival in India, is associated with the tradition of playing with colors.
Festival can also refer to organized series of concerts, plays, or films. They are typically held annually in the same place. Some of these festivals include
- Music festivals (rock festivals, jazz festivals, etc.)
- Literary festivals
- Theatre festivals
- Film festivals (Cannes festivals, Venice film festival, etc.)
- Food festivals
Figure 2: Holi festival
What is the difference between Fair and Festival?
Fair vs Festival |
|
| Fair is a gathering of stalls and amusements for public entertainment. | Festival is
|
| Religion or Culture | |
| Fair is not associated with religion or culture. | Festivals are associated with religion or culture. |
| Traditions | |
| Fairs don’t have unique traditions associated with them. | Religious or cultural festivals their unique traditions. |
| Purpose | |
| The main purpose of a fair is public entertainment. | The main purpose of a festival may be commemoration or thanksgiving. |
Summary – Fair vs Festival
Although the two words fair and festival are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between the two. The main difference between fair and festival it festivals’ association with religion and culture. Since they are typically associated with these elements, they also have their own unique traditions and rituals.
Image Courtesy:
1.”Cleveland County Fair 2010″ By OptimumPx – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Barsana Holi Festival” By Narender9 – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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