‘Cake Walk’ Victorian Fairground Ride
The Cake Walk emerged in fairgrounds just after the turn of the 20th century. It was named after a dance which was in vogue at the time.
The mechanism consisted of undulating bridges and gangways driven by cranks, The driving belt was often connected to the organ which meant that a speed up of the music meant a speed up of the ride and a speed up of the riders jerking on the bridges.
This made an hilarious spectacle for onlookers, which the showmen cashed in on…
The Cake Walk featured here is the ‘Harry Holland Cake Walk’.
It was exhibited at the Spilsby Show by Steve Holland from Bourne. Steve says that his Cake Walk is 107 years old and he travels with it all around the Midlands and Yorkshire area of England.
The photo below shows the undulating exit bridge of the Cake Walk.
Below is the entrance gangway.
Here, two young girls ‘walked the walk’
Video of the Cake Walk Victorian Fairground Ride
Enter the password ’skegness’ to view the video
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