| Where: | Canterbury, Kent at the Cathedral & Precincts |
| When: | 2nd Saturday in September |
| Time: | 10.30am with service in the Quire of the Cathedral at 11am, followed by dancing throughout the day around the town |
Hop Hoodening is the Kentish harvest festival celebrating the local crop, so important to the brewing industry. There is a special service at Canterbury Cathedral; expect morris men accompanied by musicians and a host of hops from the local harvest. The Hop Queen will arrive amidst a bower constructed of hop-bines and accompanied by her attendants the Hop Princesses; the participants process behind Queen and clergy into the Cathedral. During the service one group of morris dancers perform in front of the altar, blessings are given and appropriately autumnal hymns are sung. Afterwards there’s dancing by each side in the Cathedral precincts, then the dancers separate into groups for plenty more dancing at locations around town. There’s a High Street Procession during the afternoon and the day is rounded off with mass performances from the reunited dance sides.
Helpful Hints
In 2024 it should be on Saturday 14th September (to be confirmed).
Dancing tours follow around the city (check links below for up-to-date timings etc).
It’s free to attend, though a collection is taken in the service for Cathedral good causes, and street collections are made on behalf of the festival. It’s nearly always sunny, I have been assured, and it certainly followed that trend in 2019. If you want to be sure of getting a seat for the service, arrive in plenty of time and enter the cathedral ahead of the procession.
Click here for Wantsum Morris: http://www.wantsum-morris.org.uk
Click here for the East Kent Morris website : http://ekmm.org.uk/NEW/
Click here for the Cathedral website and put hop hoodening in the search box : http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/
Hello
I am one of the organisers of Hop Hoodening. The event is held on the second Saturday in September. Therefore, please note that it will be on Saturday 14th September 2013.
Many thanks
David
Thanks David!
All updated on the site!
Best Wishes,
Averil
I really want to take my sister from Australia to this. Where is the best place to go? In the Cathedral? In the precincts? Where should we be at 1030Hrs? Many thanks MH
Hi Margaret,
You need to be outside the Cathedral in the Precincts for the preamble from 10.30, then the service itself takes place inside in the Quire area (near the altar end) at 11am. This event is still on my “to-do” list so I can’t give you any insider tips but if you click through from my website article you can contact the Cathedral and the Morris Men for more info. Hope you have a great time!
Best Wishes,
Averil
Stumbled across this festival today – watched the procession and saw the Hop Queen https://www.flickr.com/photos/juliac2006/15039326330/
Thanks for the photo link, Julia!
Best wishes,
Averil