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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Video Archive
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![The ancient festival of Beltane is revived and celebrated annually at the reconstructed Iron-Age village of Butser in Hampshire (they spell it Beltain here). A huge wicker man is constructed […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/DSC00523-115x115.jpg "Butser Beltain Festival and Wicker Man")
Butser Beltain Festival and Wicker Man
Posted on May 1, 2012 | 15 CommentsThe ancient festival of Beltane is revived and celebrated annually at the reconstructed Iron-Age village of Butser in Hampshire (they spell it Beltain here). A huge wicker man is constructed […] -
![Dock Pudding is a local delicacy little-known outside the Calder Valley area of Yorkshire and the Competition was founded in 1971 to help preserve it. The Pudding is made from […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMG_9754-115x115.jpg "Mytholmroyd World Dock Pudding Competition")
Mytholmroyd World Dock Pudding Competition
Posted on April 15, 2012 | 7 CommentsDock Pudding is a local delicacy little-known outside the Calder Valley area of Yorkshire and the Competition was founded in 1971 to help preserve it. The Pudding is made from […] -
![Pace Egging Plays are traditional mumming plays with their own unique character and are performed during Eastertide, mainly in the north-western corner of England. They are typically hero-combat plays with […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_9681-115x115.jpg "Middleton Pace Egg Plays (& formerly Mossley)")
Middleton Pace Egg Plays (& formerly Mossley)
Posted on April 10, 2012 | 2 CommentsPace Egging Plays are traditional mumming plays with their own unique character and are performed during Eastertide, mainly in the north-western corner of England. They are typically hero-combat plays with […] -
![Clog Cobbin was a sporting event with origins in the 1970s; a traditional Lancashire clog (with a leather top and wooden sole) was thrown as far as possible following a […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/IMG_9695-115x115.jpg "Rawtenstall Clog Cobbin Championships")
Rawtenstall Clog Cobbin Championships
Posted on April 9, 2012 | 6 CommentsClog Cobbin was a sporting event with origins in the 1970s; a traditional Lancashire clog (with a leather top and wooden sole) was thrown as far as possible following a […] -
![Eggs are rolled down the slopes at Avenham Park every Easter Monday – in the past these were traditional decorated boiled eggs but now are often of the chocolate variety! […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMG_9666-115x115.jpg "Preston Egg Rolling")
Preston Egg Rolling
Posted on April 9, 2012 | 4 CommentsEggs are rolled down the slopes at Avenham Park every Easter Monday – in the past these were traditional decorated boiled eggs but now are often of the chocolate variety! […] -
![Kiplingcotes Derby is reputedly the oldest flat-race in the UK, with records dating back to 1519. Entrants turn up on the day ; it’s open to horses “of all ages” […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/1-115x115.jpg "Kiplingcotes Derby")
Kiplingcotes Derby
Posted on March 15, 2012 | 70 CommentsKiplingcotes Derby is reputedly the oldest flat-race in the UK, with records dating back to 1519. Entrants turn up on the day ; it’s open to horses “of all ages” […] -
![Known locally as Jethart Ba’, two handball games are played on the Thursday after Shrove Tuesday (or the week after, depending on when the first new moon falls after Candlemas […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DSC00349-115x115.jpg "Jedburgh Hand Ba’")
Jedburgh Hand Ba’
Posted on March 1, 2012 | 8 CommentsKnown locally as Jethart Ba’, two handball games are played on the Thursday after Shrove Tuesday (or the week after, depending on when the first new moon falls after Candlemas […] -
![The Royal Shrovetide Football game takes place in Ashbourne every Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday and is one of the best-known and longest established games in the festive football season, […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Ashbourne-115x115.jpg "Ashbourne Football")
Ashbourne Football
Posted on February 21, 2012 | 1 CommentThe Royal Shrovetide Football game takes place in Ashbourne every Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday and is one of the best-known and longest established games in the festive football season, […] -
![The Pancake Race at Olney is the best-known of its kind in the UK and beyond – there is even a “twin” event in Kansas! Competitors must be female residents […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_9519-115x115.jpg "Olney Pancake Race")
Olney Pancake Race
Posted on February 21, 2012 | 5 CommentsThe Pancake Race at Olney is the best-known of its kind in the UK and beyond – there is even a “twin” event in Kansas! Competitors must be female residents […] -
![Atherstone Football takes place every Shrove Tuesday in Long Street – there are no goals and no teams and the winner is the player holding the ball at the end. […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DSC00293-115x115.jpg "Atherstone Football")
Atherstone Football
Posted on February 2, 2012 | 4 CommentsAtherstone Football takes place every Shrove Tuesday in Long Street – there are no goals and no teams and the winner is the player holding the ball at the end. […]