| Where: | Ickwell Green and Northill, Bedfordshire: Outside the Crown at Northill, with Procession to Maypole Arena at Ickwell Green |
| When: | May Day Bank Holiday Monday |
| Time: | Northill from 11.30, Procession 1.30, Crowning 2pm |
While there are many celebrations to mark the arrival of Spring for May Day, there are few which have as long a tradition as Ickwell in Bedfordshire, where records of the observance of May Day date back some 500 years. The festivities took on their current form in the nineteenth century, and the focus is on the permanent Maypole in the centre of the Green. The day begins outside the Crown at nearby Northill, with morris dancing and a competition for decorated hoops, which are festooned with flowers and foliage and carried in the procession, a half-a-mile perambulation to Ickwell Green. The procession features the May Queen and all her attendants, including the Moggies, lucky chimney sweeps long associated with the date. Upon arrival, the May Queen is crowned followed by dancing around the Maypole, including children’s dances and that of 24 adult dancers who plait the ribbons on the Maypole, many of whom also took part as children themselves in the past . There is a variety of stalls at the Ickwell Green site, including refreshments.
Helpful Hints
It’s on May Day Bank Holiday Monday, the one at the start of the month. In 2024 it will be on Monday May 6th.
A modest charge (£2 per person in 2022) is payable for entry to the Maypole arena. In the event of bad weather, the dancing may be postponed until a later date but the procession and crowing still go ahead.
Car parking and toilets , including convenient spaces for disabled visitors, are available nearby.
Click here for the event website: https://www.ickwellmayday.co.uk
and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ickwellmayday
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