Parwich Wakes and Oddfellows Procession

Where:	Parwich, Derbyshire with Procession starting at the Sycamore, service at St Peter's Church & Carnival around village centre ending at the Green
When:	Last Saturday in June or first in July
Time:	Procession 9.45 am, Church Service 11 am, Carnival 6pm

The summer celebrations at Parwich begin on Wakes Saturday, the last weekend in June or sometimes the first in July, with the unique Oddfellows Procession. The Oddfellows are a national not-for-profit organisation offering friendly support to members, with branches around the country; they are non-sectarian and apolitical and support charity work, friendship and care. At Parwich there are nearly 100 very smartly dressed members in the procession bearing staves and banners, accompanied by followers and a brass band. They march to the special church service, followed by dinner at the Memorial Hall for the participants. During the afternoon, there’s a market on the village green and in the evening a carnival procession followed by a hog roast and brass band competition, making a very full day out. Later in the week there are further sports, entertainments and competitions, but the main day is the Wakes Saturday.