York Saturnalia Parade

Saturnalia was a popular Roman midwinter festival celebrating the god Saturn, which lasted for several days; Saturn was the god of agriculture and worship of him hopefully encouraged prosperity in the year to come. It was a time to eat,drink and be merry and there was a tradition of tomfoolery and role reversal, where masters became servants and vice versa in a  similar way to the Lord of Misrule of later Christmas celebrations. York was a major Roman centre, and every December the 6th Legion, Legio VI Victrix Eboracum, mark the occasion with a torchlit parade through the dark streets of the city, accompanied by horn blowing and loud proclamations (except when the Police ask them to be quiet outside the Minster, which happened in 2024!). The event usually begins appropriately at the Roman Bath pub, then the procession wends its way to the Minster and the Three Legged Mare, and back again.

Helpful Hints

In 2025 it should be on Friday 19th December.

It’s always on a Friday evening around the middle of the month, and the organisers can be contacted via the links below. It isn’t widely publicised but sometimes appears on the Facebook pages.

Click here for the Facebook pages: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1450262098550947

and https://www.facebook.com/LegioVIEboracum

Thanks to Dave Grainger of the Legion for the helpful updates!