Calendar

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
26	27	28	29	30	1May DayBorn: Tony Rose06:00 Oxford May Morning10:00 Padstow May Day+1 more18 sessions	278 sessions5 morris
32 folk birthdays10:00 Holywood May Day12:00 Laa Boaldyn at Cregneash+1 more59 sessions28 morris	4Born: Francis McPeake65 sessions29 morris	53 folk birthdays62 sessions28 morris	6🌑11:00 Tissington Well Dressing65 sessions37 morris	72 folk birthdays11:00 Tissington Well Dressing26 sessions6 morris	82 folk birthdays07:00 Helston Flora Day11:00 Tissington Well Dressing17 sessions	911:00 Tissington Well Dressing61 sessions5 morris
102 folk birthdays11:00 Tissington Well Dressing52 sessions29 morris	11Born: Douglas Kennedy11:00 Tissington Well Dressing71 sessions30 morris	1211:00 Tissington Well Dressing56 sessions29 morris	13Born: Rab Noakes59 sessions37 morris	144 folk birthdays23 sessions6 morris	15Born: Aly Bain17 sessions	16Whitsun70 sessions5 morris
172 folk birthdays52 sessions28 morris	1810:00 Ballyclare May Fair60 sessions29 morris	192 folk birthdays66 sessions28 morris	20🌕62 sessions37 morris	212 folk birthdays25 sessions6 morris	2213 sessions	23Born: Mary Black47 sessions5 morris
24Born: Bella Hardy42 sessions29 morris	25Born: Tom Munnelly66 sessions30 morris	26Born: Ian Powrie58 sessions29 morris	27Born: Diz Disley59 sessions37 morris	2821 sessions6 morris	29Oak Apple DayBorn: E. Estyn Evans18:30 Castleton Garland Day18 sessions	30Born: Elizabeth Cronin53 sessions5 morris
31Born: Bob Davenport45 sessions28 morris	1	2	3	4	5	6

Monday 17 May

Happy birthday to Dick Gaughan (79 today) and Sue Harris (78 today)

Sessions 52

Mon 17 May 12:30 14:30
Session

Hartlepool Folk Club

The Causeway, Hartlepool, County Durham
- Song
- Singaround
Mon 17 May 14:30 16:30
Session

The Company of the Blaxhall Ship

The Ship Inn, Blaxhall, Suffolk
Mon 17 May 14:30 16:30
Session

St Werburgh’s Informal Session

St Werburgh’s Parish Centre, Chester, Cheshire
- Mixed
Mon 17 May 19:00 23:00
Session

Folk Klub

The Cornish Bank, Falmouth, Cornwall
- Mixed
Mon 17 May 19:00 21:00
Session

Merchant Folk Session

The Merchant, Scarborough, North Yorkshire
- Mixed
Mon 17 May 19:00 21:00
Session

The Auckland Shanty Singers

Elm Road Social Club, Shildon, County Durham
- Song
- Shanties
Mon 17 May 19:00 21:00
Session

Warwick Folk Club Singaround

The Ale Hub, Warwick, Warwickshire
- Song
- Singaround
Mon 17 May 19:00 21:30
Session

London Cajun Jammers

The George Inn, London, Greater London
Mon 17 May 19:00 21:00
Session

Romford Ceilidh Band Session

The Golden Lion, Romford, Greater London
Mon 17 May 19:30 22:30
Session

Zeal Session

Kings Arms, South Zeal, Devon
Mon 17 May 19:30 23:00
Session

Folk Session

Ashburton Arts Centre, Ashburton, Devon
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Session

Rumsey Wells Session

The Rumsey Wells, Norwich, Norfolk
- Tune
- Advanced Session
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Session

Stockton Folk Club

The Moline Cross, Norton Cricket Club, Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Session

Crown Inn Session

Crown Inn, Humshaugh, Northumberland
- Mixed
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Session

London Sacred Harp Covent Garden

Crown Court Church of Scotland, London, Greater London
Mon 17 May 19:30 22:00
Session

Mansfield Folk and Acoustic Club

Forest Town Arena, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
- Mixed
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Session

Edinburgh Slower Session

Bennets Bar, Tollcross, City of Edinburgh
Mon 17 May 19:45 22:45

Session

General Townshend Monday Session

General Townshend British Legion Club, Fakenham, Norfolk
Mon 17 May 20:00 23:00
Session

Americana Session

The Weavers Inn, Bodmin, Cornwall
- Mixed
- Americana
Mon 17 May 20:00 23:00
Session

Singer’s Session

The Fortescue Inn, Plymouth, Devon
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

New Wheel Acoustic Singaround

The New Wheel Inn, Pennington, Hampshire
- Song
- Singaround
Mon 17 May 20:00 23:00
Session

Godalming Session

The Star Inn, Godalming, Surrey
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Red Dog Acoustic and Folk Night

The Red Dog, Cloughton, North Yorkshire
- Song
- Singaround
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Folk at the Grove

The Grove Inn, Leeds, West Yorkshire
- Mixed
- Beginners welcome
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Brighouse Folk Session

Commercial Railway Inn, Brighouse, West Yorkshire
- Mixed
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Elm Tree Monday Session

Ye Olde Elm Tree, Durham, County Durham
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Bridge Folk Club

The Bridge Hotel, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
- Song
- Singaround
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Acoustic Mondays

The Ring O’ Bells, Kendal, Cumbria
- Mixed
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

The Edinburgh Monday Session

The Edinburgh, Liverpool, Merseyside
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Guesthouse Music Session

The Guesthouse, Southport, Merseyside
- Tune
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Fox Acoustic Nights

The Fox Inn, Nuneaton, Warwickshire
- Mixed
- Singaround
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Old Time and Bluegrass Session

The Star, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Half Moon Euro Session

The Half Moon, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Herga at the Castle

The Castle, Harrow, Greater London
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Swinton Folk Club Singers Night

White Lion, Swinton, Greater Manchester
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Salutation Monday Folk Session

The Salutation, Manchester, Greater Manchester
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Warm Welcome Folk Club

Welcome Inn, Whitefield, Greater Manchester
Mon 17 May 20:00 23:00
Session

Dog & Partridge Trad Irish Session

Dog & Partridge, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Tune
- Irish
Mon 17 May 20:00 23:00
Session

Bristol University Folk Society Session

Highbury Vaults, Kingsdown, Bristol
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Mariners & Marras

Enigma Tap, North Shields, Tyne and Wear
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:15
Session

Islay Inn Monday Session

The Islay Inn, Finnieston, City of Glasgow
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Session

Dram Monday Celtic Session

Dram!, West End, City of Glasgow
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:30
Session

Sesiwn Caerdydd

Owain Glyndŵr, Cardiff, Cardiff
- Tune
- Welsh
Mon 17 May 20:30 23:00
Session

Cornish Traditional Music Session

The Countryman Inn, Redruth, Cornwall
- Tune
- Cornish
Mon 17 May 20:30 22:30
Session

Willoughby Arms Monday Session

The Willoughby Arms, Kingston upon Thames, Greater London
Mon 17 May 21:00 23:30
Session

Barley Mow Acoustic Session

The Barley Mow, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
- Mixed
Mon 17 May 21:00 23:30
Session

Fagan’s Monday Session

Fagan’s, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Mixed
Mon 17 May 21:00 23:00
Session

Malones Monday Trad Session

Malones Irish Bar, Glasgow, City of Glasgow
Mon 17 May 21:00 23:00
Session

Sandy Bell’s Monday Session

Sandy Bell’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Mon 17 May 21:00 23:00
Session

Royal Oak Singers’ Night

Royal Oak, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
- Song
Mon 17 May 21:30 23:30
Session

Penny Black Monday Session

Penny Black, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Mon 17 May 21:30 00:30
Session

Black Cat Monday Session

The Black Cat, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
- Tune
- Irish

Morris practices 28

Mon 17 May 18:45 20:30
Morris Practice

Step This Way practice

Nettlesworth Community Centre, Chester-le-Street, County Durham
Mon 17 May 19:00 21:00
Morris Practice

Makara Morris practice

Wansford Village Hall, Wansford, East Riding of Yorkshire
Mon 17 May 19:00 21:30
Morris Practice

Holt Ridge Morris practice

Marsham Village Hall, Marsham, Norfolk
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Grimsby Morris practice

Park Congregational Church Hall, Grimsby, Lincolnshire
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Stroud Morris Dancers practice

Rodborough Tabernacle Church Hall, Stroud, Gloucestershire
- The Morris Federation
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

The Minster Strays practice

Sand Hutton Village Hall, York, North Yorkshire
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Quayside Cloggies practice

The Coach and Horses, Wimborne, Dorset
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Sheffield City Morris practice

Burton Street Foundation, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Cotswold
- The Morris Federation
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:00
Morris Practice

Wakefield Morris Dancers practice

Kingsway Methodist Church Hall, Ossett, West Yorkshire
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Chapel-en-le-Frith Morris practice

Chapel-en-le-Frith Playhouse, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire
- The Morris Ring
- Mixed
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Jackstraws Morris practice

Hale Institute Hall, Farnham, Surrey
- Cotswold
- The Morris Federation
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Rutland Morris practice

Ashwell Village Hall, Ashwell, Rutland
- The Morris Ring
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Star & Shadow practice

The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
Mon 17 May 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Black Swan Border Morris practice

5th Sutton Scout Hall, Sutton, Greater London
- Border
- The Morris Federation
Mon 17 May 19:45 21:45
Morris Practice

Moonrakers Morris practice

Mount Pleasant Centre, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
- Border
- The Morris Federation
Mon 17 May 20:00 21:30
Morris Practice

Pig Dyke Molly practice

Fletton Club, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

Ouse Washes Molly Dancers practice

Wimbotsham Village Hall, Wimbotsham, Norfolk
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

Silurian Border Morris Men practice

Lyttleton Rooms, Malvern, Worcestershire
- Border
- The Morris Ring
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

Hastings RX Morris practice

Ore Community Centre, Hastings, East Sussex
- Cotswold
- The Morris Federation
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

Earlsdon Morris practice

Broomfield Tavern, Coventry, West Midlands
- North-West
- The Morris Ring
Mon 17 May 20:00 21:45
Morris Practice

Etcetera Morris Men practice

St Michael and All Angels Church Hall, Enfield, Greater London
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

Winterbourne Down Border Morris practice

All Saints Church Hall, Winterbourne Down, Gloucestershire
- Border
- Mixed
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

Marlings Morris practice

Edenbridge Scout Hall, Edenbridge, Kent
- North-West
Mon 17 May 20:00 21:30
Morris Practice

Garston Gallopers practice

Hungerford Youth and Community Centre, Hungerford, Berkshire
- The Morris Federation
Mon 17 May 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

First Class Stamp practice

Attleborough Baptist Church, Nuneaton, Warwickshire
- Appalachian
- The Morris Ring
Mon 17 May 20:30 22:00
Morris Practice

Adlington Morris Men practice

1st Bramhall Scout HQ, Bramhall, Cheshire
- Cotswold
- The Morris Ring
Mon 17 May 20:30 22:30
Morris Practice

Alvechurch Morris practice

Alvechurch Baptist Church Hall, Alvechurch, Worcestershire
- Border
- The Morris Ring
Mon 17 May 20:30 22:30
Morris Practice

Belchamp Morris practice

Belchamp St Paul Community House, Belchamp St Paul, Essex
- Border
- The Morris Ring

From the old calendars 22

Folklore from the old calendars

The Greenhill Bower Still kept StaffordshireLichfield's show fair was held on Whit Monday, when members of the corporation and the town's best tradesmen walked in procession from the guildhall to Greenhill.
The Eynsham timber No longer kept OxfordshireAt Eynsham the townspeople might cut down on Whit Monday as much timber as they could haul by hand into the abbey yard, the churchwardens first marking the trees.
The Chester Whitsun plays Still kept CheshireChester's mystery plays were said to have been written by Randall Higgenett, a monk of Chester Abbey, and played on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Whitsun week.
Greenwich Fair No longer kept KentFor Londoners Whit Monday meant Greenwich Fair, and from early morning crowds poured along the Kent Road and down the river to it.
Drop handkerchief at the Devon revels No longer kept DevonA correspondent remembered from his boyhood in Devon that at the fairs and revels of Easter and Whitsuntide young men and women formed a ring to play drop handkerchief.
The Whitsuntide hirings in Cumberland No longer kept CumberlandFarm servants in Cumberland were hired by the half year at Whitsuntide and Martinmas.
Necton guild No longer kept NorfolkIn 1817 Major, later Colonel, Mason of Necton Hall set up a guild of rural sports on the afternoons of Whit Monday and Whit Tuesday, to gather the Whitsun holidays of the Norfolk villages at Necton.
Peppard Revel No longer kept OxfordshireThe Reading Mercury of 24 May 1819 advertised Peppard Revel for Whit Monday.
The stick blow at the Lancashire Whitsun fair No longer kept LancashireAt Whitsuntide fairs in parts of Lancashire a trick was played in which one person held a stick over another's head and a third, unseen, struck the stick so that it came down smartly on the victim.
The Boy’s Bailiff at Wenlock No longer kept ShropshireIn Whitsun week Much Wenlock kept a custom called the Boy's Bailiff.
Hocking and pigeon-holes at the Brentford Whitsun ale No longer kept MiddlesexA Brentford vestry of 1621 recorded that the townspeople had long met at Whitsuntide in their church house to eat and drink together, keeping up neighbourly feeling and raising a common stock for the church, the orphans and the poor.
Fetching in the Fly at Oxford No longer kept OxfordshireOn a day in the Whitsun holidays the master cook of Oxford for that year rode out on horseback with his brother cooks, all in silk doublets, to Bartholomew's or Bullingdon Green to fetch in the Fly.
The Corby toll Still kept NorthamptonshireEvery twentieth year on Whit Monday the people of Corby blocked every road into the parish and demanded a toll from all who passed.
Winlaton Hopping No longer kept County DurhamThe ironworking village of Winlaton held its hopping on the Monday and Tuesday after 14 May, with shows and stalls along Front Street.
The millers’ riding at Hinckley No longer kept LeicestershireAt Hinckley's Whit Monday fair the millers of the nearby villages used to ride in a decorated cavalcade, a show that had fallen out of favour until it was revived with new characters in 1786.
Rosley Fair from Whit Monday No longer kept CumberlandRosley Fair on its open hill opened on Whit Monday.
Whitsun jaunts to Islington and Newington No longer kept LondonOver the Whitsun holidays Londoners poured out to Islington, Newington and the villages nearby to eat and drink.
Whitsun rides in Moorfields No longer kept LondonAt Whitsuntide children paid for rides at the fairground in Moorfields, going up and down on the swings.
The Fool and the Megen No longer kept WalesAt Whitsuntide Welsh morris dancers, nine men with ribbons on their clothes and bells at their knees, danced to the tune of Country Bumpkin.
Guessing the man in green at Whitsuntide No longer kept WalesAt Whitsuntide the Welsh morris dancers were sometimes joined by a man dressed in green and entirely covered with ivy, leaves and flowers.
Nettles on the sluggard’s latch on Whit Monday No longer kept WalesEarly on Whit Monday farm boys and others went round the village with noise and song to wake the lazy, leaving a bunch of nettles tied to the latch of every sluggard's door.
Sweethearts paired for the Whit Monday dance No longer kept WalesIn the late eighteenth century, about a fortnight before Whitsun, Welsh farm boys went to a secluded spot in the woods and told each other their sweethearts' names, and the girls did the same.

Calendar

May 2027

Image credits