What’s on: folk sessions, morris, customs and folklore

Thursday 31 December

New Year's Eve

Happy birthday to June Tabor (79 today)

Born on this day: E. J. Moeran (1894)

• Thu 31 Dec from 15:30

  Custom

  Nos Galan Road Races

  Sets off from Oxford Street, Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf

  • Custom game
  • Procession
  • New Year's Eve
  • Sports and Games
  Save this custom: Nos Galan Road Races
• Thu 31 Dec 21:15 16:00

  Custom

  Biggar Hogmanay Bonfire

  Corn Exchange, Biggar, South Lanarkshire

  • Fire
  • Procession
  • New Year's Eve
  • Fire Customs
  
  Save this custom: Biggar Hogmanay Bonfire
• Thu 31 Dec from 22:00

  Custom

  Llanwrtyd Wells Mari Lwyd

  Neuadd Arms Hotel, Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys

  • Hobby horse or beast
  • Procession
  • New Year's Eve
  • Animal Customs
  Save this custom: Llanwrtyd Wells Mari Lwyd
• Thu 31 Dec 23:00 00:30

  Custom

  Allendale Tar Bar’l

  Sets off from Market Place, Allendale, Northumberland

  • Fire
  • Procession
  • Christmas and New Year
  • New Year's Eve
  • Fire Customs
  
  Save this custom: Allendale Tar Bar’l
• Thu 31 Dec 23:00 00:30

  Custom

  Stonehaven Fireballs

  Sets off from Mercat Cross, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire

  • Fire
  • Procession
  • Christmas and New Year
  • New Year's Eve
  • Fire Customs
  Save this custom: Stonehaven Fireballs
• Thu 31 Dec 23:30 00:30

  Custom

  Comrie Flambeaux

  Sets off from Melville Square, Comrie, Perth and Kinross

  • Fire
  • Procession
  • New Year's Eve
  • Fire Customs
  
  Save this custom: Comrie Flambeaux

Friday 1 January

Born on this day: George Petrie (1790) and Margaret Barry (1917)

• Fri 1 Jan 11:50 13:00

  Custom

  Monkseaton Morris New Year’s Day Dance

  The Ship, Monkseaton, Tyne and Wear

  • Dance
  • Mumming play
  • Christmas and New Year
  Save this custom: Monkseaton Morris New Year’s Day Dance

Sunday 3 January

• Sun 3 Jan from 12:00

  Custom

  Bankside Twelfth Night

  Shakespeare’s Globe, London, Greater London

  • Mumming play
  • Procession
  • Wassail
  • Twelfth Night
  • Food and Drink
  • Plant and Tree Lore
  
  Save this custom: Bankside Twelfth Night

Tuesday 5 January

Twelfth Night

Happy birthday to Georgia Ruth (39 today)

Born on this day: Fred Jordan (1922)

Wednesday 6 January

Born on this day: Bob Copper (1915), Pop Maynard (1872) and Sandy Denny (1947)

• Wed 6 Jan All day

  Custom

  Llanfihangel Tor y Mynydd Mari Lwyd

  Star on the Hill, Llanfihangel Tor y Mynydd, Monmouthshire

  • Hobby horse or beast
  • Twelfth Night
  • Animal Customs
  Save this custom: Llanfihangel Tor y Mynydd Mari Lwyd
• Wed 6 Jan 14:30 16:00

  Custom

  Haxey Hood

  St Nicholas Church, Haxey, Lincolnshire

  • Custom game
  • Procession
  • Twelfth Night
  • Sports and Games
  
  Save this custom: Haxey Hood
• Wed 6 Jan from 19:00

  Custom

  Dinas Mawddwy Plygain on Twelfth Night

  Capel Ebeneser, Dinas Mawddwy, Gwynedd

  • Ceremony
  • Twelfth Night
  Save this custom: Dinas Mawddwy Plygain on Twelfth Night

Thursday 7 January🌑 New moon

Born on this day: Dave Cousins (1940)

Friday 8 January

• Fri 8 Jan from 19:00

  Custom

  Scalloway Fire Festival

  Sets off from Port Arthur, Scalloway, Shetland

  • Fire
  • Procession
  • Fire Customs
  Save this custom: Scalloway Fire Festival

Saturday 9 January

Happy birthday to Joan Baez (86 today) and Nic Jones (80 today)

Born on this day: Tim Hart (1948)

• Sat 9 Jan All day

  Custom, day 1 of 2

  Gower Wassail and Mari Lwyd

  Gower Heritage Centre, Swansea, Swansea

  • Fire
  • Hobby horse or beast
  • Procession
  • Wassail
  • Wassailing
  Save this custom: Gower Wassail and Mari Lwyd
• Sat 9 Jan 17:30 21:00

  Custom

  Much Marcle Wassail at Westons

  Westons Cider Visitor Centre, Much Marcle, Herefordshire

  • Dance
  • Fire
  • Procession
  • Wassail
  • Wassailing
  • Fire Customs
  • Food and Drink
  • Plant and Tree Lore
  
  Save this custom: Much Marcle Wassail at Westons

Sunday 10 January

Born on this day: Louisa Jo Killen (1934)

• Sun 10 Jan Gower Wassail and Mari Lwyd day 2 of 2 · All day
• Sun 10 Jan from 14:00

  Custom

  Plygain at St Teilo’s Church, St Fagans

  St Teilo’s Church, St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff, Cardiff

  • Ceremony
  • Christmas and New Year
  Save this custom: Plygain at St Teilo’s Church, St Fagans

Monday 11 January

Plough Monday

• Mon 11 Jan 16:30 22:00

  Custom

  Balsham Plough Monday

  Sets off from Prince’s Close, Balsham, Cambridgeshire

  • Dance
  • Procession
  • Plough Monday
  Save this custom: Balsham Plough Monday
• Mon 11 Jan from 18:00

  Custom

  Burning the Clavie

  Sets off from Granary Street, Burghead, Moray

  • Fire
  • Procession
  • Christmas and New Year
  • Charms and Luck
  • Fire Customs
  
  Save this custom: Burning the Clavie

Wednesday 13 January

Happy birthday to Frankie Armstrong (86 today)

• Wed 13 Jan All day

  Custom

  Hen Galan in Cwm Gwaun

  Dyffryn Arms, Pontfaen, Pembrokeshire

  • Ceremony
  • Christmas and New Year
  • Children's Customs
  Save this custom: Hen Galan in Cwm Gwaun
• Wed 13 Jan from 19:00

  Custom

  Mallwyd Plygain on Hen Galan

  St Tydecho’s Church, Mallwyd, Gwynedd

  • Ceremony
  • Christmas and New Year
  Save this custom: Mallwyd Plygain on Hen Galan

Friday 15 January

• Fri 15 Jan All day

  Custom, day 1 of 3

  Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival

  Manor Leisure Centre, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire

  • Dance
  • Fire
  • Hobby horse or beast
  • Procession
  • Plough Monday
  • Animal Customs
  • Fire Customs
  
  Save this custom: Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival
• Fri 15 Jan from 18:30

  Custom

  Aberystwyth Mari Lwyd for Hen Galan

  Sets off from Aberystwyth Bandstand, Ceredigion

  • Hobby horse or beast
  • Procession
  • Christmas and New Year
  Save this custom: Aberystwyth Mari Lwyd for Hen Galan

Saturday 16 January

Happy birthday to Iona Fyfe (29 today)

• Sat 16 Jan Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival day 2 of 3 · All day
• Sat 16 Jan 09:30 16:00

  Custom

  Goathland Plough Stots Day of Dance

  Goathland Community Hub, Goathland, North Yorkshire

  • Dance
  • Procession
  • Plough Monday
  
  Save this custom: Goathland Plough Stots Day of Dance
• Sat 16 Jan from 18:30

  Custom

  Carhampton Wassail

  Butchers Arms, Carhampton, Somerset

  • Wassail
  • Wassailing
  • Food and Drink
  • Plant and Tree Lore
  Save this custom: Carhampton Wassail
• Sat 16 Jan from 18:30

  Custom

  Caerleon Mari Lwyd for Hen Galan

  Goldcroft Inn, Caerleon, Newport

  • Hobby horse or beast
  • Procession
  • Christmas and New Year
  Save this custom: Caerleon Mari Lwyd for Hen Galan

Sunday 17 January

Born on this day: Matt McGinn (1928) and Mike Waterson (1941)

• Sun 17 Jan Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival day 3 of 3 · All day

Monday 18 January

• Mon 18 Jan from 18:30

  Custom

  Whimple Wassail

  Whimple Heritage Centre, Whimple, Devon

  • Procession
  • Wassail
  • Wassailing
  • Plant and Tree Lore
  
  Save this custom: Whimple Wassail

Friday 22 January🌕 Wolf Moon

Saturday 23 January

• Sat 23 Jan 12:30 18:00

  Custom

  Chepstow Wassail and Mari Lwyd

  Chepstow Museum, Chepstow, Monmouthshire

  • Dance
  • Hobby horse or beast
  • Procession
  • Wassail
  • Wassailing
  • Animal Customs
  • Plant and Tree Lore
  
  Save this custom: Chepstow Wassail and Mari Lwyd
• Sat 23 Jan from 14:00

  Custom

  Aberystwyth Santes Dwynwen Parade

  Sets off from Town Clock, Great Darkgate Street, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion

  • Procession
  • Valentine's Day
  Save this custom: Aberystwyth Santes Dwynwen Parade

Monday 25 January

Burns Night

Born on this day: Ewan MacColl (1915)

Tuesday 26 January

Happy birthday to Ashley Hutchings (82 today)

• Tue 26 Jan 19:30 16:00

  Custom

  Up Helly Aa

  Sets off from Hillhead, Lerwick, Shetland

  • Fire
  • Procession
  • Fire Customs
  
  Save this custom: Up Helly Aa