| Where: | Rochester, Kent -High Street and various stages around town |
| When: | May Day Bank Holiday Weekend |
| Time: | From 10am Saturday onwards. Procession Monday 2.45 |
Rochester Sweeps’ Festival is a celebration of the coming of spring, and as May Day was also the traditional holiday for chimney sweeps or Climbing Boys as they were officially known, the two aspects have combined to produce a unique event. Expect lots of music, merrymaking and morris dancing alongside a Jack in the Green fertility figure personified and of course plenty of sweeps. Dancing takes place in the High Street over the whole weekend, and the Castle Gardens have a funfair, real ale and marquees for musicians.The Procession on the Monday is the culmination of the festival and it begins at the Castle Gardens, then goes all around town with Jack in the Green. 60 morris sides take part.
Helpful Hints
In 2025 it should be from Saturday 3rd to Monday 5th May. The festival is a three-day-event culminating in the Procession on Monday but with events over the whole weekend.
Click here for more info: https://www.visitmedway.org/events/rochester-sweeps-festival-2024-79679/
Click here for the event’s facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RochesterSweepsFestival
Hi could you please send me details of how to enter my band into next years festival?
thankyou, kind regards, dave layton
Hi Dave! I haven’t got any direct involvement with the festival myself (it’s a long way from my patch way up in Northumberland!) but if you get in touch with Medway Visitor Information Centre ( telephone: 01634 338141 or email: visitor.centre@medway.gov.uk) they should be able to put you in touch with the organisers. Hope it all works out! Averil
Just wanted to say, well done on cancelling 2021 Sweeps Festival and to wish the organisers and participants a fabulous event for next year… your efforts and important role in celebrating UK culture and origins is not forgotten. All UK children should experience such a festival and the adults deserve the opportunity to relax and absorb such talent!
The Medway visitor centre is closing down , there will be no walk through to the high street ,
Thanks Lorraine- I see there is still a procession planned and will direct people to the event’s own site for up-to-date info!
Best wishes,
Averil
Hi just wondering are you taking trade stand applications for the 2025 event?
Thanks
Rao
Hi Rao,
Here at calendarcustoms we don’t have anything to do with the organisation of the Sweeps Festival – you’ll need to contact. them direct by messaging their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RochesterSweepsFestival Best of luck!
Averil