Showmen got organised in professional associations quite late. The first association, Freundschaft, was founded in 1858.

In the last decades of the 19th century, fairground operators started to organise themselves. In 1858 Freundschaft (Friendship), the oldest German showmen’s association, was founded at Pirmasens. Many other German associations followed in the 1880s. They all had local character. But Klim-Bim, founded in 1883, appeared more than just a local union. Within a year Klim-Bim had 3000 members, even from abroad. The later Verein Reisender Schausteller und Berufsgenossen (Union of Travelling Showmen) is the predecessor of the current associations. In 1923 the national Reichsverband Ambulanter Gewerbetreibender (National Association of Ambulant Businessmen) was founded. In 1883 the first edition of Komet, the first professional showmen’s magazine, was published in Pirmasens. It is still going strong. In England the UK Van Dwellers Association (today’s Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain) was formed in 1889. World’s Fair is a prominent British showmen’s magazine. In Italy, the Società Internazionale di Mutuo Soccorso (International Society of Mutual Help) was founded in 1888. In 1947 the Associazione Nazionale Esercenti Spettacoli Viaggianti (National Association of Travelling Showmen and Shows) originated in Rome. It is closely related to the Associazione Generale Italiana dello Spettacolo (General Italian Association of Showmen). The Spettacolo Viaggiante d’Italia is Italy’s professional showmen’s magazine. It first appeared in 1948. The first Dutch union of fairground operators was Ons Belang (Our Interest). That was founded in Amsterdam, in 1899. In 1952, it was succeeded by the Nationale Bond van Kermisbedrijfhouders (National Union of Fairground Operators). In 1922 the NKB, Nederlandse Katholieke Bond van Kermisvakgenoten (Dutch Roman Catholic Union of Fairground Operators) was formed in Bergen op Zoom. In 1967, it was reformed. Since then it’s the non-confessional Nederlandse Kermis Bond (Dutch Fair Union). A well-known Dutch showmen’s magazine is De Komeet.