The Fair Day in Irvinestown has become an integral and favourite part of the Lady of the Lake Festival.

Just like in days gone by when our ancestors would flock to the Fair Day to see what they could get their hands on, hear the latest gossip and news or see some sort of entertainment, the modern-day equivalent does the same.

With the backdrop of characters, craftspeople and Journeymen portrayed by The Travellin' Folk, those who go to the Fair Day on Wednesday, July 13 are invited to step back in time and witness the sights, sounds and smells of a Fair Day of Yesteryear.

See the basket weaver, the harness maker, the spinner and the butter churner at their work.

Grab yourself a bargain from the second-hand clothes stall (nothing over a penny) and maybe find out if fortune favours you with a palm reading by Mystic Mama.

Another piece of culture and history not to miss at the Lady of the lake is the Irvinestown Community Mummers.

The 16-strong motley mummers troupe have been tramping the roads at all ungodly hours bringing luck, diversion and mayhem by re-enacting and performing an ancient mid-winter hero/combat folk drama that is heavily pregnant with all the pagan symbolism of a mid-winter European fertility play.

Whatever the exact origins, rural mummers know that mumming is what their parents used to do and were expected to do each winter coming up to Christmas time, when "getting up" a mummers troupe from their area and going about the houses doing visits amongst the neighbours was all about bringing luck. Also, it was a bit of fun, breaking up those long dreary nights in the dead of winter.

These devilish, fearsome heroes of the night are now plotting to make a real public show of themselves and their traditions by appearing again this year at the truck convoy Light Show on July 19.

This year there will be an army of mummers coming down the street and will surely be a memorable show.