Toy and Childcare Fair of Harbonnières

A toy fair before Christmas

A few weeks before the end-of-year holidays, the Harbonnières Toy and Childcare Fair is a must-attend event for families of the Santerre and surrounding areas. This type of fair, widespread in Picard towns, operates on the consignment principle: families entrust toys, games and childcare equipment to the organizing association, which then offers them to buyers on fair day.

Harbonnières, a Santerre village marked by the Great War

Harbonnières is a small Somme town in the Santerre, this fertile plateau of large cereal crops stretching between Amiens and Péronne. The village played an important role in the Battle of Amiens in August 1918, when Allied troops broke through the German front. Harbonnières was liberated on August 8, 1918 by Australian troops, and several stelae and military cemeteries still recall this heavy past today.

What to find at the fair

The Harbonnières fair offers the classic toy fair selection: early-age toys, rattles, activity boxes, stuffed animals, dolls, Lego, Playmobil, miniature cars, figurines, board games, puzzles, old consoles and video games. The childcare section offers strollers, car seats, bouncers, bathtubs, high chairs, baby carriers, baby and children's clothing.

The consignment principle explained

The operation of a consignment fair follows a classic pattern: families drop off their items at defined times, usually one or two days before the fair, setting a selling price. The association handles the sale and earns a commission (usually 10 to 20%) donated to a local cause. After the fair, sellers collect their sales proceeds minus the commission, as well as their unsold items.

A responsible approach

Beyond the economic aspect, these fairs fully participate in a responsible consumption and waste reduction approach. Toys and childcare equipment are often used for very short periods in children's lives, and thus find a second useful life.