The majority of traditional Whitsuntide events have migrated to the Late Spring Bank Holiday at the end of May. The late Spring Bank Holiday on the last Monday in May attempts to deal with the fact that Whitsuntide is a moveable feast dependent on the date of Easter. Thus the Whit Monday holiday is not necessarily at the church's Whitsuntide, and this year it will have been and gone!
As always, please check nearer the time to make sure which traditions are being upheld in 2024 !
- Bury Pace-Eggers : Sunday 19th May - Prestwich Clough Day a FREE Annual Event held from 12 noon – 5:00 pm in St Mary’s Flower Park M25 1GG, and outside The Church Inn, Church Lane M25 1AJ.
- Campden Morris - Scuttlebrook Wake, usually the Saturday after Spring Bank Holiday (1st June 2024) - Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire,1:30 pm Procession of the Scuttlebrook Queen-elect and fancy dress to the Square. Dancing at 1:45 pm
- Traditional Bampton Morris Dancers : Spring Bank Holiday Monday - Bampton, Oxfordshire. All three of the Bampton sides tour separately round the gardens of the 'Big Houses' and pubs starting 9:00 am until tea at 5:00 pm. They are joined by guest sides in the evening from 6:00 pm which this year are Kemp's Men of Norwich, Queen's Oak Morris, and Icknield Way Morris Men. Morris visitors are asked not to wear kit until the evening. [The picture opposite is a broom dance by one of the Traditional Bampton Morris Dancers].
- Coventry MM : Whit Sunday Tour (26th) - 10.30 am Wolston Village CV8 3HJ ; 11.30 am Stretton Village LE15 7RA; 12:30pm The Red Lion, Hunningham CV33 9DY; 3:00 pm Warwick Market Place CV34 4SA; 5:00 pm Berkswell Village CV7 7BB
- East Suffolk MM : Spring Bank Holiday Monday Tour - 12 noon at Blaxhall; The Golden Key Snape 2 Priory Rd, Saxmundham IP17 1SA, The Dolphin Peace Place, Thorpeness, Aldeburgh IP16 4FE, The Meare Aldeburgh sea front and the Cross Keys Crabbe St, Aldeburgh IP15 5BN
- East Surrey MM - Spring Bank Holiday weekend - tour of Sussex & Kent - Details here
It is with great regret that we announce this will be the last season East Surrey Morris Men will be dancing. - Headington Quarry Morris Dancers : Spring Bank Holiday Monday - Headington, Oxfordshire, eventide tour of the village public houses. Starting at The Six Bells, Headington Quarry, 7:30pm; 8:15pm at the Chequers; 9:00pm at the Mason's Arms UNCONFIRMED
- Kennet Morris : Spring Bank Holiday Monday - Yattendon & Frilsham Fete from 2:15pm
- Shakespeare Morris : Spring Bank Holiday Monday in Bidford-on-Avon to celebrate Trinity Monday, a traditional date in the Morris calendar. Bidford Meadow barbeque Honeybourne Road B50 4PG at 7:30pm and dance outside the Old Falcon Church Street B50 4DA for 8:30pm.
- Wessex MM : Spring Bank Holiday Monday - Sherborne Castle country fair, Sherborne Castle Gardens, Sherborne, DT9 5NR 10:30am
- Wakefield Morris Dancers : The Ossett Beercart Festival will be held on Friday 31st May to Sunday 2nd June in Ossett town centre and at Ossett town hall.
- Kirtlington Lamb Ale : Usually the weekend of Trinity Sunday (56 days after Easter Sunday) - this year 1st - 2nd June,Guests arrive from lunchtime onwards on Friday. Guest sides will dance around the Village and various spots in the vicinity on 1st June, with a ceilidh in the evening. There is a procession of all sides on Sunday morning 2nd June to the Church, a Lamb Ale service, a further procession to the School followed by dancing displays around the village until 4pm. See Lamb Ale downloadable programme for details.