The 137th Hoppings Funfair is open - and there is no sign of mud yet.
The Lord Mayor of Newcastle David Cook and his wife Elizabeth officially opened Europe's largest travelling funfair at 1.30pm on Friday afternoon.
Thrill-seeker favourites like the Mach 5 'Bomber', Ice Jet and the Exciter are all there, along with traditional funfair staples, such as dodgems, waltzers, a ferris wheel and children's rides.
The Lord Mayor welcomed visitors to 'one of Newcastle's greatest events' as he opened the fair, which he said one million people visit each year.
He said: "In a world that changes so quickly these days, but not so much here, it's great that The Hoppings is one tradition that doesn't change very much and it just gets bigger and better.
"The rides are said to be scarier each year, but a lot of the stalls and entertainment would be recognised by visitors 50 years ago, I'm told. That actually includes me and I'll be going around to check that statement out."
Sunny spells have dried out the Town Moor turf, so visitors on Friday could walk around without getting muddy.
However, rain is forecast on Sunday and Monday.
Rides, attractions and side-shows will be open every day from 1.30pm to 11pm until Saturday, June 28.
Entry is free, with admission charged for each ride. The prices are set by each operator and are subject to change.
When ChronicleLive visited on Friday afternoon, kids' rides were priced at around £2. Waltzers and dodgems cost £3, while a rollercoaster charged £3.50.
Some of the white-knuckle rides had yet to open, but last year they charged £4 - so visitors can expect to pay at least that this year. Some of the operators even take card payments.
Head here to read a confirmed list of Hoppings 2019 rides and attractions.
Food prices included £3.50 for a 1/4 cheese burger, £2.50 for chips, £6 for a Yorkshire Pudding wrap, £3.50 for a hot dog, £7 for chicken noodles and £6 for chili con carne loaded fries.
