While walking home yesterday IÌýsaw something strangeÌýoutÌýtheÌýcorner of my eye. I turned my head and peeked into my neighbour’s window, and could confirm that it was in fact several people in witch hats sitting in a ring inside the room, and not just my eyesight going funny. A note was hanging on the door inviting everyone in the neighbourhood to come along and celebrate the apple harvest. This reminded meÌýof all theÌýthings I love about Britain. Quirky celebrationsÌýare my absolute favourite, so here’s a list of some of the wacky traditions and customs still being practiced in the UK:
1. The Up Helly Aa FestivalÌý
This Viking themed fire festival takes place in Shetland every January.
2. Wassailing
A tradition kept in cider producing counties involving drinking and singing to apple trees toÌýensure a good harvest and to scare away evil spirits.
3. Annual Pancake Race
A popular event throughout London held on Shrove Tuesday (also known as Pancake Day).
4. Straw Bear Festival
This custom dates back to the ancient pagan rituals, a person get dressed up in straw and followed around the town of Whittlesey.
5. Imbolc Fire Festival
ThisÌýfestival is of Gaelic origin and is a spectacular show celebrating the arrival of Spring.
6. Beltane
Beltane is best experienced on the top of Calton Hill in Edinburgh. It starts at dusk and continues throughout the night with theatre, drums, fire and dancing.
7. Hurling the silver ball
This game is of Celtic origin and the team sport is only played in the streets of Cornwall.
8. Hunting of the Earl of Rhone
This annual custom takes place in Combe Martin every spring bank holiday. The event is based upon a legendÌýin whichÌýgrenadiers, a hobby horse, a fool and villagersÌýhunt for the Earl of Rhone, finally finding him in the forest after four days. The story concludes when the Earl is brought back on a donkey through the village and down to the beach where he is shot and thrown into the sea.
9. Royal Ascot Ladies Day
A horse race/fashion show like no other…
10. Swan Upping at the River Thames
This ceremony dates back to the 12th century. Traditionally the British Monarch retains the right to ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water. So to follow tradition, once a year all swans on the River Thames are rounded up, caught, marked and then released again.
Ìý11. The Bog Snorkelling Competition
This is a Welsh tradition happening every August, and as the name suggests this sport involves cold muddy water.
12.ÌýGurning Championship
Stop by the Egremont Crab Fair if you happen to be near the West Cumbrian coast in September. The fair is famous for its gurning championship, but it also involves Cumberland wrestling, dog races, pipe smoking competitions and dialect singing.
13. Pearly Kings and Queens
This is charitable tradition practiced in London. The clothes decorated with pearl buttons originated in the 19th century and were first associated with an orphan street sweeper called Henry Croft. He created a pearly suit to draw attention to himself and aid his fund raising activities.
14. October Plenty
This celebration starts with dancing in the streets in front of Shakespeare’s Globe in London, before leading the spectacle to Borough Market for their Apple Day activities. You can expect to see a green man covered in fruit, a corn queen and a hobby horse strung with bread and cakes followed by a lot of Morris dancers.
15. Burning the Clocks
Every year on the 21st of December the people of Brighton gather together to make paper and willow lanterns to carry through the city and burn on the beach as a token for the end of the year.
16. Boxing Day Swim
This refreshing event is practiced in several parts of the British Isles. The cold morning swim is often carried out in fancy dress.
This list could go on forever and it’s a great reminder that UK photographers are spoiled for choice when it comes to unusual and eye-catching events to photograph.
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