Traditional date
Folk tradition · England
Scarborough Skipping Day
Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Hundreds skip with long ropes on Scarborough's closed seafront road every Shrove Tuesday.
9 February 2027
ROUND-UP GUIDE · 12 EVENTS
Free odd days out.
A free day out might mean a close look at Tissington’s petal pictures, morris dancing in Bampton or the nightly horn call in Ripon. All twelve here are free to watch, and they make quite different visits: some fill a whole town, others reward you for turning up to one small ceremony.
Pick a journey you can manage and a crowd that suits your group. Free to watch doesn't cover transport, parking, food, donations or entry to nearby attractions, and taking part can carry its own charges or eligibility rules. Check the guide and the organiser's latest notice before committing, especially where the next date is only the usual one.
At a glance
- Scarborough Skipping Day 9 February 2027 · Scarborough, North Yorkshire Stay nearby ↗
- Padstow ’Obby ’Oss 1 May 2027 · Padstow, Cornwall Stay nearby ↗
- Rochester Sweeps Festival 1–3 May 2027 · Rochester, Kent Stay nearby ↗
- Tissington Well Dressing 6–12 May 2027 · Tissington, Derbyshire Stay nearby ↗
- Helston Flora Day 8 May 2027 · Helston, Cornwall Stay nearby ↗
- Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival 9 May 2027 · Covent Garden, London Stay nearby ↗
- Bampton Morris Day of Dance 31 May 2027 · Bampton, Oxfordshire Stay nearby ↗
- Ripon Hornblower: Setting the Watch Every night of the year at 9pm in Ripon Market Square (free) · Ripon, North Yorkshire Stay nearby ↗
- Abbots Bromley Horn Dance Wakes Monday: the Monday after the first Sunday after 4 September · Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire Stay nearby ↗
- Holywood May Day Early May bank holiday Monday · Holywood, County Down Stay nearby ↗
- World Black Pudding Throwing Championships Usually the second Sunday in September, outside The Oaks pub on Bridge Street · Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester Stay nearby ↗
- Bodmin Riding and Heritage Day Usually the first weekend of July; await the next programme · Bodmin, Cornwall Stay nearby ↗
Traditional date
Folk tradition · England
Padstow ’Obby ’Oss
Padstow, Cornwall
Two 'osses dance through Padstow all day on May Day to drums, accordions and the May Song.
1 May 2027
Traditional date
Folk tradition · England
Rochester Sweeps Festival
Rochester, Kent
Morris sides, sweeps and the Jack-in-the-Green fill Rochester over the May bank holiday.
1–3 May 2027
Traditional date
Folk tradition · England
Tissington Well Dressing
Tissington, Derbyshire
Tissington's wells are decorated with pictures made of petals for a week from Ascension Day.
6–12 May 2027
Traditional date
Folk tradition · England
Helston Flora Day
Helston, Cornwall
Couples dance the Furry Dance through Helston's streets, houses and shops from 7am.
8 May 2027
Traditional date
Folk tradition · England
Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival
Covent Garden, London
Punch and Judy puppeteers parade, attend church and perform for Mr Punch's birthday.
9 May 2027
Date announced
Folk tradition · England
Bampton Morris Day of Dance
Bampton, Oxfordshire
Bampton's three morris sides dance through the village all day on the spring bank holiday.
31 May 2027
Usually TBC
Ceremony & pageantry · England
Ripon Hornblower: Setting the Watch
Ripon, North Yorkshire
Every night at 9pm a hornblower sounds a horn at the obelisk in Ripon's Market Square.
Every night of the year at 9pm in Ripon Market Square (free)
Usually September
Folk tradition · England
Abbots Bromley Horn Dance
Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire
Traditional horn dance involving antlers.
Wakes Monday: the Monday after the first Sunday after 4 September
Usually May
Folk tradition · Northern Ireland
Holywood May Day
Holywood, County Down
Children dance round the maypole Holywood calls the last one remaining in the country.
Early May bank holiday Monday
Usually September
Unusual competition · England
World Black Pudding Throwing Championships
Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester
Throwers hurl black puddings at a stack of Yorkshire puddings on a tall plinth.
Usually the second Sunday in September, outside The Oaks pub on Bridge Street
Usually July
Folk tradition · England
Bodmin Riding and Heritage Day
Bodmin, Cornwall
A Cornish street celebration brings dancing, music and the trial of the Beast of Bodmin.
Usually the first weekend of July; await the next programme
“Stay nearby” links go to Booking.com, and each event guide also has train links. These are affiliate links — what that means.