![Every 5th November the streets of Ottery St Mary are lit by blazing tar barrels, carried by the residents of the town; the barrels weigh 30kg and are carried at […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IMG_9214-426x250.jpg "Ottery St Mary Flaming Tar Barrels")
![This is an ancient custom dating back hundreds of years -nobody knows exactly how long but it’s reputedly one of the oldest traditions in Europe. It starts with a simple […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IMG_7518-480x250.jpg "Abbots Bromley Horn Dance")
Welcome to Calendar Customs!
This site aims to list the wide variety of traditional and unusual events that take place each year in the UK and to help visitors take part in them. Each event has its own page giving details of its timing and location, as well as a very brief history and notes on what to expect. Enjoy!
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![Haxey Hood is one of the ancient mass-participation festival games and is the earliest in the year, sometimes taking place in snow. Instead of a football, the players use “hoods” […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/The-Fool-is-Smoked-640x250.jpg "Haxey Hood")
Haxey Hood
Haxey Hood is one of the ancient mass-participation festival games and is the earliest in the year, sometimes taking place in snow. Instead of a football, the players use “hoods” […]
Featured Stories
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![Now established for a decade, the event at Canterbury is very much in the tradition of the summer parades that took place in cities in the middle ages, with costumed […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_9473-195x110.jpeg "Canterbury Medieval Pageant")
Canterbury Medieval Pageant
Now established for a decade, the event at Canterbury is very much in the tradition of the summer parades that took place in cities in the middle ages, with costumed […]
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![John Knill built a pyramid shaped monument in 1767 on Worvas Hill just south of St Ives ,which is known as Knill’s Steeple. In his will he left detailed instructions […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Knills-Steeple-195x110.jpg "St Ives John Knill Ceremony")
St Ives John Knill Ceremony
John Knill built a pyramid shaped monument in 1767 on Worvas Hill just south of St Ives ,which is known as Knill’s Steeple. In his will he left detailed instructions […]
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![The Common Riding at Langholm takes place on the last Friday in July. Common Ridings are a boundary marking custom on horseback. They are mainly held at locations across the […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/IMG_0446-195x110.jpg "Langholm Common Riding")
Langholm Common Riding
The Common Riding at Langholm takes place on the last Friday in July. Common Ridings are a boundary marking custom on horseback. They are mainly held at locations across the […]
Averil's Picks
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Dance
Chepstow Wassail and Mari Lwyd
6 Comments -
Ancient Custom
Dunmow Flitch Trials
2 Comments -
Dance
Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival
5 Comments -
December
Chester Saturnalia
2 Comments