| Where: | Houghton le Spring, near Durham & Sunderland - Carnival Parade from Station Road to Rectory Park via The Broadway, Ox Sandwiches at the Old Rectory, Illuminations in Rectory Park |
| When: | Saturday in early October (and days around it) |
| Time: | From 9.30 am with Roast Ox available at 1 pm, Carnival Parade 2pm, Illuminations 7.30 pm |
Founded in the twelfth century, Houghton Feast is an ancient custom which was originally held at Michaelmas (29 September) as the local church is dedicated to St Michael; the Feast moved date into early October with changes in the calendar centuries ago and the whole event lasts over 10 days with the main Festival Day on the first Saturday of the celebrations. The official opening ceremony takes place on the Friday evening, and all through the Feast there are fairground rides, community events and exhibitions. On Festival Day itself the main attractions are the Carnival Parade (which is large and involves many local groups and businesses) and sports in the afternoon, performances by the Pipe Band and illuminations in the Rectory Park, and of course the Ceremonial cutting of the first slices of the whole roast Ox by the Mayor of Sunderland, which is an integral part of the Feast and has been for many years. In the sixteenth century the Rector of Houghton was Bernard Gilpin, the respected theologian known as the Apostle of the North and famed for his tireless charity work; from Michaelmas to Easter he fed the poor of the locality with a roasted ox every weekend, and the Ox at the Feast commemorates his generosity. In a curious twist of fate, tradition has it that Gilpin’s death was caused by being run into by an Ox in the Market Place at Durham… On the succeeding days, there are further exhibitions, church services, concerts and entertainments and a firework display on the Monday evening. It’s a real whole community event, with something for all ages and tastes.
Helpful Hints
In 2024 Festival Day was Saturday October 5th, with the whole event running from Friday 4th to Sunday 13th-2025 dates are yet to be announced.
A free programme with full details of all the events, times and locations was available in 2022 in printed form for collection from local businesses or downloadable online via the website link below.
Admission to most of the events is free of charge; Ox sandwiches cost £5 in 2022 and could be ordered online in advance. They were very tasty!
Look out for the blue plaque commemorating Bernard Gilpin and the origins of the Feast on the Old Rectory gatepost, and for his chest tomb and the stained glass window in hs memory inside St Michael’s church (the church is usually open on Festival Day).
Click here for the event Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HoughtonFeast
and website: http://www.houghtonfeast.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR10OuNybBD3s_nbkhLiXcgpXPgNhsrJzX4iEDYJqYPk7eHbuWbcg1Rn8-A
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