Allendale Tar Bar’l
Allendale, Northumberland
Costumed guisers carry blazing tar barrels on their heads to light the New Year bonfire.
31 December 2026Traditional date
Odd Northumberland and the Borders
This collection reaches across Northumberland, County Durham and the Scottish Borders, following customs rather than a single administrative boundary. Allendale’s Tar Bar’l opens the year with blazing barrels at Hogmanay. The Shrovetide games at Alnwick and Sedgefield, and Jedburgh’s ba’ game, put local rules and a town setting at the centre of the action. Read what each side is trying to do before choosing where to watch.
The Borders gatherings bring another sort of movement: horses, flags, named roles and ceremonies tied to the town and the surrounding countryside. Hawick, Selkirk, Galashiels and Duns have distinct programmes and expectations for visitors. A common riding is not an invitation to arrive with a horse and join the line. The event pages explain what is known about watching, participating and reaching the right place. Use this round-up to compare seasons, then choose the custom you want to understand. The distances and the very different event times make a careful base-town decision more useful than simply collecting pins on a map.
8 events in this guide
In date order
- 31DecAllendale Tar Bar’lAllendale, Northumberland31 December 2026 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 9FebAlnwick Shrovetide FootballAlnwick, Northumberland9 February 2027 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 9FebSedgefield Ball GameSedgefield, County Durham9 February 2027 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 11FebJedburgh Ba’ GameJedburgh, Scottish Borders11 February 2027 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 10JunHawick Common RidingHawick, Scottish Borders10–12 June 2027 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 18JunSelkirk Common RidingSelkirk, Scottish Borders18 June 2027 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 3JulGalashiels Braw Lads’ GatheringGalashiels, Scottish Borders3 July 2027 — date announcedStay nearby
- JulusuallyDuns Summer Festival Reivers RideoutDuns, Scottish BordersUsually early July during Duns Summer FestivalStay nearby
Base yourself in Hexham
Compare places to stay and check cancellation terms.
Find a place to stay on Booking.comThe events
Alnwick Shrovetide Football
Alnwick, Northumberland
Two parishes battle for a ball thrown from Alnwick Castle, ending with a swim in the River Aln.
9 February 2027Traditional date
Sedgefield Ball Game
Sedgefield, County Durham
A teamless Shrove Tuesday free-for-all that begins at the bull ring on Sedgefield’s green.
Have a go9 February 2027Traditional date
Jedburgh Ba’ Game
Jedburgh, Scottish Borders
Uppies and Doonies battle through Jedburgh’s town centre for ribboned leather balls.
11 February 2027Traditional date
Hawick Common Riding
Hawick, Scottish Borders
Hundreds of riders follow the Cornet round Hawick’s boundaries in a week of Border pageantry.
10–12 June 2027Traditional date
Selkirk Common Riding
Selkirk, Scottish Borders
Hundreds ride the marches before flags are cast in the Market Place in memory of Flodden.
18 June 2027Traditional date
Galashiels Braw Lads’ Gathering
Galashiels, Scottish Borders
Riders carry the burgh flag through ceremonies recalling Galashiels’ history.
Have a go3 July 2027Date announced
Duns Summer Festival Reivers Rideout
Duns, Scottish Borders
The Reiver and Reiver’s Lass lead a Borders town’s summer riding celebrations.
Usually early July during Duns Summer Festival
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Make a holiday of it
Hexham is the accommodation search base for this collection, particularly as a starting point for considering the Northumberland events. It is not presented as the best overnight choice for every town in the Scottish Borders. For a riding or gathering, compare the local base in the event guide with the first ceremony you want to see and the transport you can actually use.
Hogmanay at Allendale needs an evening and return plan. A Shrovetide ball game calls for a different date and a different viewing position. The summer riding programmes are separate again: check the current timetable for the particular ceremony or rideout rather than relying on the general festival name. An early start may make staying in the town more practical than attempting a morning connection.
If you want to make a longer holiday, compare the Cumbria and Yorkshire collections linked below. They give you more events to consider without promising that their dates align. Choose a few worthwhile visits and leave space for ordinary travel, meals and the final connection home.
Before you book, put the event date, its status and your overnight base beside each other. A likely date is useful for sketching a trip but still needs an organiser check. Compare the last journey back with the programme, and allow time to get from a station or car park to the viewing place. The stay links are starting points for comparing accommodation; read cancellation terms and check the actual address before committing.
Nearby regions
Explore another regional collection, then compare its dates and travel with your own plans.