| Where: | Clun, Shropshire at the Castle |
| When: | May Day Bank Holiday Monday |
| Time: | From 11.15 am with Battle at Noon, and Fair open 10.30 until 5pm |
Inspired by the mysterious foliate heads carved in many churches, the Green Man is a symbol of the spirit of nature. At Clun in Shropshire he has his own traditional springtime festival, the highlight of which is a conflict between the Man himself and the Ice Queen, usually known as the Battle of the Bridge; if the Green Man doesn’t win, there will be no summer….As well as the Battle, expect morris dancers, mummers,drumming, musicians, a host of other performance artists, duck racing, refreshments and plenty of stalls at the traditional fair at the Castle. The main day of the festival is the Monday but there are events all weekend including early skirmishes between the Man & Queen (see website link for schedule). In 2017 there were unicorns… (for photographic evidence see below).
Helpful Hints
In 2024 it should have been on Monday May 6th but sadly had to be cancelled due to adverse site conditions. It should hopefully return in 2025 on Monday May 5th.
Admission to the Fair was £5 when we visited , everything else is free of charge.
Click here for the website: http://www.clungreenman.org
Click here for the event Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ClunGreenManFestival/?hc_ref=ARRTyXeCAYbOk81L4ix8gS5RcbjOa_qCqm-BjRKn1i5K0JmWDYpg-zCd4iNdMSFun-8
Hi can you tell me if green man is going ahead this year
Hi Tracy,
There’s nothing about this year on the event Facebook page, and all public events are currently cancelled so it mustn’t be happening this year.If lockdown easing goes according to the current “roadmap”, restrictions will be lifted on public gatherings from 21st June but not before.
Best wishes,
Averil
Why don’t they try the greenman festival on the summersoltice its normally at the time of Beltain if full restrictions lifted bye 21st June the solstice. Last year was gutted again this year really miss the greenman festival I go every year really miss it .alot of great people go every year great atmosphere with dave the flute performing the ceremony on the Bridge the battle between the winter queen and the greenman is always very entertaining please please return greenman festival may the gods smile upon us
Hi Karl
I feel your pain! It’s such a shame that so many events have needed to be cancelled again- some are postponing to later in the year but I haven’t heard anything about that happening with Green Man. You might be interested in the online event that Hastings Jack in the Green are organising this weekend (they had a virtual event last year as well which was very well done and I expect this one might be even better since they’ve done it before) – check it out at https://www.facebook.com/HastingsTraditonalJackintheGreen/
Best wishes,
Averil