Several fairs and festivals take place in Cambridge, mostly during the
British summer. Midsummer Fair dates back to 1211, when it was granted a
charter by King John. Today it exists primarily as an annual funfair with the
vestige of a market attached and is held over several days around or close to
midsummers day. On the first Saturday in June Midsummer Common is also the site
for Strawberry Fair, a free music and children's fair, with a series of market
stalls. For one week in May, on nearby Jesus Green, the annual Cambridge Beer
Festival is held. Started in 1974, it is Britain's second largest beer festival
