Traditional date
Folk tradition · Wales
Llangynwyd Mari Lwyd
Llangynwyd, Bridgend
A horse skull draped in white calls at the village pub to battle the regulars in verse.
13 January 2027
ROUND-UP GUIDE · 5 EVENTS
Wassails & the Mari Lwyd.
In the dark weeks after Christmas, people still go out to bless the apple trees with song, cider and toast, and in Wales a horse’s skull on a pole, the Mari Lwyd, goes from door to door challenging households to a battle of rhymes.
These are small, friendly, often free events, and the best of them are a lovely mix of the eerie and the convivial.
At a glance
- Llangynwyd Mari Lwyd 13 January 2027 · Llangynwyd, Bridgend Stay nearby ↗
- Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival 15–17 January 2027 · Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire Stay nearby ↗
- Carhampton Wassail 16 January 2027 · Carhampton, Somerset Stay nearby ↗
- Goathland Plough Stots Day of Dance 16 January 2027 · Goathland, North Yorkshire Stay nearby ↗
- Chepstow Wassail and Mari Lwyd A Saturday in mid to late January, from about midday into the evening · Chepstow, Monmouthshire Stay nearby ↗
Date announced
Folk tradition · England
Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival
Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire
A straw-covered bear leads a procession with dance teams.
15–17 January 2027
Traditional date
Folk tradition · England
Carhampton Wassail
Carhampton, Somerset
Villagers sing to the apple trees, fire shotguns and leave toast for the robins.
16 January 2027
Date announced
Folk tradition · England
Goathland Plough Stots Day of Dance
Goathland, North Yorkshire
Longsword dancers tour a moorland village on the Saturday after Plough Monday.
16 January 2027
Usually January
Folk tradition · Wales
Chepstow Wassail and Mari Lwyd
Chepstow, Monmouthshire
Horse-skull Mari Lwyds, morris dancers and an orchard wassail fill Chepstow in January.
A Saturday in mid to late January, from about midday into the evening
“Stay nearby” links go to Booking.com, and each event guide also has train links. These are affiliate links — what that means.