Ask Difference

Fair vs. Festival — What's the Difference?

By Fiza Rafique & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 13, 2024
Fair often emphasizes commerce or agriculture, featuring goods, games, and contests, while a festival focuses on cultural or religious celebration, involving music, dance, and rituals.
Fair vs. Festival — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Fair and Festival

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Key Differences

Fairs are events traditionally rooted in agriculture and trade, where people come together to sell goods, showcase livestock, and enjoy amusement rides. On the other hand, festivals are cultural gatherings that celebrate specific themes, such as music, film, religion, or seasonal changes, through performances, ceremonies, and communal activities.
While fairs often have a commercial aspect, including vendor booths, exhibitions, and competitions like baking contests or animal shows, festivals emphasize cultural expression, unity, and the celebration of heritage through art, dance, and food.
Fairs usually take place in open fields, fairgrounds, or exhibition centers, catering to a broad demographic with activities for all ages, including games, rides, and food stalls. Festivals, whereas, can occur in various venues, from streets to sacred sites, focusing on creating a communal atmosphere through live performances and interactive installations.
The duration of fairs can vary, often lasting several days to accommodate trade and entertainment activities, whereas festivals might be held for a specific period, often tied to cultural or religious calendars, to mark a particular occasion or season.
Fairs are characterized by their multipurpose nature, combining entertainment, education, and commerce, while festivals are more homogeneous, celebrating specific cultural or religious themes through dedicated activities and rituals.
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Comparison Chart

Purpose

To promote commerce, agriculture, and entertainment
To celebrate cultural, religious, or seasonal themes

Activities

Trade shows, amusement rides, contests
Music, dance, rituals, performances

Venue

Fairgrounds, exhibition centers
Streets, sacred sites, various public spaces

Duration

Several days to a week
Usually specific to the celebration's time frame

Focus

Broad, including entertainment, education, commerce
Cultural or religious expression and unity

Compare with Definitions

Fair

A gathering to display and sell products or to entertain.
We bought local honey at the county fair.

Festival

A gathering that focuses on specific cultural or seasonal themes.
The harvest festival marks the end of the growing season with feasting.

Fair

A large public event featuring entertainment. rides. and food stalls.
The fair had a Ferris wheel and cotton candy stands.

Festival

A period of communal celebrations. often rooted in cultural or religious traditions.
The city's annual festival includes a parade and fireworks.

Fair

A commercial event for businesses to exhibit and sell their products.
The book fair attracted publishers from around the world.

Festival

A celebration or series of performances of a certain art or activity.
The jazz festival featured musicians from all over the globe.

Fair

An event primarily for the sale of livestock and agricultural products.
Farmers displayed their best cattle at the fair.

Festival

An event dedicated to celebrating a particular cultural aspect. like food or music.
The film festival showcases international indie films.

Fair

An exhibition or event with competitive activities.
She won first prize for her pie at the state fair.

Festival

A communal event characterized by performances. exhibitions. and entertainment.
The street festival closed roads for performances and stalls.

Fair

A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks.

Festival

A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid.

Fair

Treating people equally without favouritism or discrimination
The group has achieved fair and equal representation for all its members
A fairer distribution of wealth

Festival

A day or period of celebration, typically for religious reasons
Traditional Jewish festivals

Fair

(of hair or complexion) light; blonde
A pretty girl with long fair hair

Festival

An organized series of concerts, plays, or films, typically one held annually in the same place
A major international festival of song

Fair

Considerable though not outstanding in size or amount
He did a fair bit of coaching

Festival

An occasion for feasting or celebration, especially a day or time of religious significance that recurs at regular intervals.

Fair

(of weather) fine and dry
A fair autumn day

Festival

An often regularly recurring program of cultural performances, exhibitions, or competitions
A film festival.

Fair

Beautiful
The fairest of her daughters

Festival

Revelry; conviviality.

Fair

Without cheating or trying to achieve unjust advantage
No one could say he played fair

Festival

Of, relating to, or suitable for a feast or festival; festive.

Fair

To a high degree
She'll be fair delighted to see you

Festival

Pertaining to a feast or feast day; festive. Now only as the noun used attributively.

Fair

A beautiful woman
Pursuing his fair in a solitary street

Festival

(Bible) A feast or feast day.

Fair

A gathering of stalls and amusements for public entertainment
I won a goldfish at the fair

Festival

An event or series of special events centred on the celebration or promotion of some theme or aspect of the community, often held at regular intervals.
The Reading and Leeds festivals take place on the August bank holiday.
A Welsh eisteddfod is a literary festival.

Fair

A periodic gathering for the sale of goods.

Festival

In mythology, a set of celebrations in the honour of a god.

Fair

(of the weather) become fine
Looks like it's fairing off some

Festival

Fried cornbread.

Fair

Streamline (a vehicle, boat, or aircraft) by adding fairings
It is fully faired and race ready

Festival

Pertaining to a fest; festive; festal; appropriate to a festival; joyous; mirthful.
I cannot woo in festival terms.

Fair

Of pleasing appearance, especially because of a pure or fresh quality; comely.

Festival

A day or period of time set aside for feasting and celebration

Fair

Light in color, especially blond
Fair hair.

Festival

An organized series of acts and performances (usually in one place);
A drama festival

Fair

Of light complexion
Fair skin.

Fair

Free of clouds or storms; clear and sunny
Fair skies.

Fair

Free of blemishes or stains; clean and pure
One's fair name.

Fair

Promising; likely
We're in a fair way to succeed.

Fair

Having or exhibiting a disposition that is free of favoritism or bias; impartial
A fair mediator.

Fair

Just to all parties; equitable
A compromise that is fair to both factions.

Fair

Being in accordance with relative merit or significance
She wanted to receive her fair share of the proceeds.

Fair

Consistent with rules, logic, or ethics
A fair tactic.

Fair

Moderately good; acceptable or satisfactory
Gave only a fair performance of the play.
In fair health.

Fair

Superficially true or appealing; specious
Don't trust his fair promises.

Fair

Lawful to hunt or attack
Fair game.

Fair

(Archaic) Free of all obstacles.

Fair

In a proper or legal manner
Playing fair.

Fair

Directly; straight
A blow caught fair in the stomach.

Fair

To join (pieces) so as to be smooth, even, or regular
Faired the aircraft's wing into the fuselage.

Fair

(Archaic) A beautiful or beloved woman.

Fair

(Obsolete) Loveliness; beauty.

Fair

A gathering for the buying and selling of goods, often held at a particular time and place; a market
We attended the annual book fair.

Fair

An exhibition of home or farm products and skills, usually with competitions and entertainments
My pumpkin won first prize at the county fair.

Fair

An exhibition intended to inform people about a product or business opportunity
A computer fair.
A job fair.

Fair

An event, usually for the benefit of a charity or public institution, including entertainment and the sale of goods; a bazaar
A church fair.

Fair

Beautiful, of a pleasing appearance, with a pure and fresh quality.
Monday's child is fair of face.
There was once a knight who wooed a fair young maid.

Fair

Unblemished (figuratively or literally); clean and pure; innocent.
One's fair name
After scratching out and replacing various words in the manuscript, he scribed a fair copy to send to the publisher.

Fair

Light in color, pale, particularly with regard to skin tone but also referring to blond hair.
She had fair hair and blue eyes.

Fair

Just, equitable.
He must be given a fair trial.

Fair

Adequate, reasonable, or decent, but not excellent.
Their performance has been only fair.
The patient was in a fair condition after some treatment.

Fair

Favorable to a ship's course.

Fair

Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious; said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.
A fair sky;
A fair day

Fair

Free from obstacles or hindrances; unobstructed; unencumbered; open; direct; said of a road, passage, etc.
A fair mark;
In fair sight;
A fair view

Fair

(shipbuilding) Without sudden change of direction or curvature; smooth; flowing; said of the figure of a vessel, and of surfaces, water lines, and other lines.

Fair

(baseball) Between the baselines.

Fair

Taken direct from an opponent's foot, without the ball touching the ground or another player.

Fair

Not a no ball.

Fair

(statistics) Of a coin or die, having equal chance of landing on any side, unbiased.

Fair

Something which is fair (in various senses of the adjective).
When will we learn to distinguish between the fair and the foul?

Fair

(obsolete) Fairness, beauty.

Fair

A fair woman; a sweetheart.

Fair

(obsolete) Good fortune; good luck.

Fair

A community gathering to celebrate and exhibit local achievements.

Fair

An event for public entertainment and trade, a market.

Fair

An event for professionals in a trade to learn of new products and do business, a trade fair.

Fair

A travelling amusement park (called a funfair in British English and a (travelling) carnival in US English).

Fair

(transitive) To smoothen or even a surface (especially a connection or junction on a surface).

Fair

(transitive) To bring into perfect alignment (especially about rivet holes when connecting structural members).

Fair

To make an animation smooth, removing any jerkiness.

Fair

(transitive) To construct or design with the aim of producing a smooth outline or reducing air drag or water resistance.

Fair

To make fair or beautiful.

Fair

Clearly, openly, frankly, civilly, honestly, favorably, auspiciously, agreeably

Fair

Free from spots, specks, dirt, or imperfection; unblemished; clean; pure.
A fair white linen cloth.

Fair

Pleasing to the eye; handsome; beautiful.
Who can not see many a fair French city, for one fair French made.

Fair

Without a dark hue; light; clear; as, a fair skin.
The northern people large and fair-complexioned.

Fair

Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious; favorable; - said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.; as, a fair sky; a fair day.
You wish fair winds may waft him over.

Fair

Free from obstacles or hindrances; unobstructed; unincumbered; open; direct; - said of a road, passage, etc.; as, a fair mark; in fair sight; a fair view.
The caliphs obtained a mighty empire, which was in a fair way to have enlarged.

Fair

Without sudden change of direction or curvature; smooth; flowing; - said of the figure of a vessel, and of surfaces, water lines, and other lines.

Fair

Characterized by frankness, honesty, impartiality, or candor; open; upright; free from suspicion or bias; equitable; just; - said of persons, character, or conduct; as, a fair man; fair dealing; a fair statement.

Fair

Pleasing; favorable; inspiring hope and confidence; - said of words, promises, etc.
When fair words and good counsel will not prevail on us, we must be frighted into our duty.

Fair

Distinct; legible; as, fair handwriting.

Fair

Free from any marked characteristic; average; middling; as, a fair specimen.
The news is very fair and good, my lord.

Fair

Clearly; openly; frankly; civilly; honestly; favorably; auspiciously; agreeably.

Fair

Fairness, beauty.

Fair

A fair woman; a sweetheart.
I have found out a gift for my fair.

Fair

Good fortune; good luck.
Now fair befall thee !

Fair

A gathering of buyers and sellers, assembled at a particular place with their merchandise at a stated or regular season, or by special appointment, for trade.

Fair

A festival, and sale of fancy articles. erc., usually for some charitable object; as, a Grand Army fair; a church fair.

Fair

A competitive exhibition of wares, farm products, etc., not primarily for purposes of sale; as, the Mechanics' fair; an agricultural fair.

Fair

An exhibition by a number of organizations, including governmental organizations, for the purpose of acquainting people with such organizations or their members, not primarily for commercial purposes; as, the 1939 World's Fair.
Meet me in St. Louis, LouisMeet me at the fairDon't tell me the lights are shiningAnyplace but there.

Fair

To make fair or beautiful.
Fairing the foul.

Fair

To make smooth and flowing, as a vessel's lines.

Fair

A traveling show; having sideshows and rides and games of skill etc.

Fair

Gathering of producers to promote business;
World fair
Trade fair
Book fair

Fair

A competitive exhibition of farm products;
She won a blue ribbon for her baking at the county fair

Fair

A sale of miscellany; often for charity;
The church bazaar

Fair

Join so that the external surfaces blend smoothly

Fair

Free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; or conforming with established standards or rules;
A fair referee
Fair deal
On a fair footing
A fair fight
By fair means or foul

Fair

Showing lack of favoritism;
The cold neutrality of an impartial judge

Fair

More than adequate in quality;
Fair work

Fair

Not excessive or extreme;
A fairish income
Reasonable prices

Fair

Visually appealing;
Our fair city

Fair

Very pleasing to the eye;
My bonny lass
There's a bonny bay beyond
A comely face
Young fair maidens

Fair

(of a baseball) hit between the foul lines;
He hit a fair ball over the third base bag

Fair

Of no exceptional quality or ability;
A novel of average merit
Only a fair performance of the sonata
In fair health
The caliber of the students has gone from mediocre to above average
The performance was middling at best

Fair

Free of clouds or rain;
Today will be fair and warm

Fair

(used of hair or skin) pale or light-colored;
A fair complexion

Fair

In conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheating;
They played fairly

Fair

In a fair evenhanded manner;
Deal fairly with one another

Common Curiosities

Can a fair also be considered a festival?

In some contexts, yes. Some fairs may have festival-like elements, especially if they celebrate specific aspects of culture or community life, blurring the lines between the two.

How long do festivals usually last?

Festivals can vary in duration, typically lasting from a day to several weeks, depending on the cultural or religious significance and the event's scope.

Are all fairs related to agriculture?

Not all, but many fairs have agricultural roots, showcasing livestock, produce, and farming techniques, alongside other commercial and entertainment activities.

What distinguishes a fair from a festival?

Fairs are often commerce-oriented with a focus on agriculture, entertainment, and trade, while festivals celebrate cultural, religious, or seasonal themes.

Are fairs usually held in rural or urban areas?

Fairs can be found in both, but traditionally, they have been more associated with rural and suburban areas, especially those with agricultural themes.

Do festivals always involve music and dance?

While many do, not all festivals are centered on music and dance. Some focus on film, art, literature, food, or specific cultural or religious observances.

What kind of performances might you see at a festival?

Performances at festivals can range from music concerts and dance routines to theatrical plays and cultural rituals, depending on the festival's theme.

Do people sell goods at festivals?

Yes, selling goods, especially those related to the festival's theme or cultural background, is common at festivals.

Can festivals have commercial activities like fairs?

Yes, many festivals incorporate vendor booths and merchandise sales, but their primary focus remains on cultural or religious celebrations.

Are there international festivals?

Yes, there are many international festivals that attract global audiences, celebrating international cultures, music, film, and art.

What are some examples of traditional festivals?

Traditional festivals include Diwali, Chinese New Year, Carnival, and Oktoberfest, each with its unique cultural significance and celebrations.

Can festivals be specific to a certain community or group?

Absolutely, many festivals celebrate the heritage, traditions, and values of specific communities, ethnic groups, or religious denominations.

What makes a festival special?

Festivals are special due to their ability to bring communities together to celebrate shared cultural, religious, or seasonal traditions through unique activities and performances.

How are festivals funded?

Festivals can be funded through a combination of ticket sales, government grants, sponsorships, and donations.

How do people participate in fairs?

People can participate in fairs as vendors, competitors in contests, exhibitors, or simply as attendees enjoying the entertainment and activities.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Fiza Rafique
Fiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat

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