Huge crowds of Romanians gather for the Titu Fair. Romanians have done this for nearly 200 years!

Fall festivals in Romania give people a fun break from their hard lives. The event was put on hold during the coronavirus pandemic. But now it’s back. To this Romanian community, that matters a lot.

The Titu Fair has always been about bringing people together. The fairground is set up in a field in the small village of Hagioaica. Smiling children clutch toys. Men swirl on merry-go-rounds. Families mingle. Carousels offer rides on pirate ships, white horses, or huge pumpkins.

Deafening music blares from the fairground. Amusement park lights flash. A baby boy falls asleep in his mother’s arms. But older children don’t miss a thing. They nab Spider-Man balloons and bounce in huge inflated playgrounds.

For many, the fair is a chance to earn and save money. Some residents sell toys and other goods. Others stock up on vegetables and other household items for the upcoming winter.

Around 19 million people live in Romania. Many of them struggle with poverty. But most can afford the fair.

Learn more about this European country in Passport to Romania.  

Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.” — Psalm 12:5