Royal Shrovetide Football
Ashbourne, Derbyshire
A two-day, whole-town game of medieval football between the Up’ards and Down’ards.
9–10 February 2027Traditional date
Odd Peak District
The Peak District and Derbyshire have several good reasons to slow down and look closely. A well dressing is a picture assembled from natural materials, not simply a decorated water source, and the guides to Tissington, Wirksworth and Youlgreave explain how their displays and village arrangements differ. Castleton’s Garland Day adds another local procession to the calendar, with a tradition that makes more sense once you have read its story.
Ashbourne’s Royal Shrovetide Football changes the scale completely: a two-day town game needs a different visitor plan from a circuit of village wells. The toe-wrestling and hen-racing championships bring their own precise challenges, and neither should be treated as something you can enter without reading the current rules. This is a regional collection for choosing a trip, rather than an attempt to make every event into one itinerary. Use the date-order list to compare seasons and the event guides to decide where you will watch, how you will get there and whether taking part is an option.
7 events in this guide
In date order
- 9FebRoyal Shrovetide FootballAshbourne, Derbyshire9–10 February 2027 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 6MayTissington Well DressingTissington, Derbyshire6–12 May 2027 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 29MayCastleton Garland DayCastleton, Derbyshire29 May 2027 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 19JunYoulgreave Well DressingYoulgreave, Derbyshire19–24 June 2027 — traditional dateStay nearby
- MayusuallyWirksworth Well DressingWirksworth, DerbyshireAround the late May spring bank holiday weekendStay nearby
- JulusuallyWorld Toe Wrestling ChampionshipAshbourne, DerbyshireUsually a Saturday in July or AugustStay nearby
- AugusuallyWorld Hen Racing ChampionshipBonsall, DerbyshireUsually the first Saturday in August, at the Barley Mow pubStay nearby
Base yourself in Bakewell
Compare places to stay and check cancellation terms.
Find a place to stay on Booking.comThe events
Tissington Well Dressing
Tissington, Derbyshire
Tissington’s wells are decorated with pictures made of petals for a week from Ascension Day.
6–12 May 2027Traditional date
Castleton Garland Day
Castleton, Derbyshire
A Garland King rides through Castleton hidden under a huge bell of flowers on Oak Apple Day.
29 May 2027Traditional date
Youlgreave Well Dressing
Youlgreave, Derbyshire
Large petal pictures celebrate the village water supply around midsummer.
Have a go19–24 June 2027Traditional date
Wirksworth Well Dressing
Wirksworth, Derbyshire
Flower and seed mosaics decorate wells and taps around a Derbyshire market town.
Around the late May spring bank holiday weekend
World Toe Wrestling Championship
Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Barefoot competitors lock toes and try to pin their opponent’s foot for a world title.
Have a goUsually a Saturday in July or August
World Hen Racing Championship
Bonsall, Derbyshire
Hens sprint, wander or sit down on a 30-foot track in a Derbyshire pub car park.
Have a goUsually the first Saturday in August, at the Barley Mow pub
Likely: Saturday 7 August 2027 – based on the first Saturday in August. Not confirmed by the organiser.
“Stay nearby” Booking.com links are affiliate links. What that means.
Make a holiday of it
Bakewell is the stay-search base for this collection. Compare the actual room address with the villages and towns you want to visit, especially if you plan to travel without a car. A rail station is the beginning of a local connection, not proof that the final leg will run after an evening procession or on a bank holiday.
For a well-dressing trip, choose the displays you want to see and compare the published opening periods. Some boards stay on view across several days; that can offer more flexibility than a single procession time. Read each guide for its own date status and transport advice, and leave room for the journey between villages.
Shrovetide football belongs to a different season and a different type of visit. Plan it around the game and the town’s instructions, rather than adding it as an incidental stop. The competitions also require their own entry checks. If you want to extend the regional search, the Yorkshire round-up is linked below, with another set of local customs to compare.
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.