A sixteen-foot rushcart piled with rushes, with a young woman riding on top, is pulled by about 60 men in white shirts, Panama hats and clogs between the churches and pubs of the valley, with morris dancers and musicians along the way. The festival revived the old custom of carrying fresh rushes to the churches in 1977.
Sowerby Bridge Rushbearing
Every year on the first Saturday in September, for 2 days · 10:00 to 18:00
Next
Saturday 4 to Sunday 5 September 2027, 10:00–18:00
Free
Where
St John the Evangelist Church
On Saturday the rushcart is blessed at St John's Church, Warley, at about 10:15 and is pulled down through Sowerby Bridge. On Sunday it sets off after a 10:00 service at St Peter's, Sowerby, for Mill Bank, Triangle and Ripponden.
Church BankWarley
West Yorkshire
HX2 7LY
About
- Website
- visitcalderdale.com/event/rushbearing-festival
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Coming up
September 2027
-
Day 1 of 2
10:00–18:00
-
Day 2 of 2
10:00–18:00
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