Ossett Beercart

Where: Osset, Yorkshire town centre with Parade starting at the Community Centre and ending at Town Hall, & Beer Festival at Town Hall
When: First Saturday in June
Time: Parade 10.30, dancing 11am-4pm Beer Festival 7-11 pm on Friday and 11am-11pm Saturday.

 

The festivities surrounding the Ossett Beercart are unique but based firmly in the northern morris tradition of the dancers drawing a wheeled vehicle in a parade – though in most other cases the conveyance is covered in rushes not kegs of ale! The beer cart is thus a fusion of a modern beer festival with a spring dancing celebration, and though a recent introduction to the calendar it looks set fair to continue. Many morris dancing sides take part in the procession with the Beercart and its precious cargo of barrels, and they perform at intervals at various dance spots around town. When the procession reaches the Town Hall, the first barrel is unloaded from the cart. As well as providing entertainment, the event is a fundraiser for local Wakefield Hospice, and it’s organised by Wakefield Morris.

Helpful Hints

In 2024 it should be on Saturday 1st June.

As the event only began in 2014 and may well still be evolving, I’d advise double-checking all the timings near to the date – the Facebook page is very well maintained with all the details.

Click here for the event Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/Ossettbeercart/

and here for Wakefield Morris: https://wakefieldmorris1.wixsite.com/wakefield-morris

View this location on the map.