This is a list of traditional folk customs and scheduled yearly events. In other words, it doesn't change from year to year. See also our expanded list of traditional London events.
(c) Richard Croft
January
Haxey Hood Game
Haxey, Lincolnshire
January 5 or 6
Straw Bear Festival
Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire
Friday and Saturday
before Plough Monday
Plough Slots Service
Goathland, North Yorkshire
Monday after January 6
Wassailing the Apple Tree
Carhampton, Somerset
January 17
February
Jorvik Viking Festival
York, North Yorkshire
9 days during February half-term
Pancake Day Race
Olney, Buckinghamshire
Shrove Tuesday
Shrovetide Football
Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Shrove Tuesday
Shrovetide Skipping
Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Shrove Tuesday
Ideal Home Exhibition
Earls Court, London
early March to early April
Oxford/Cambridge Boat Race
Putney to Mortlake, London
Late March or early April
April
Midgely Pace Egg Play
Calder Valley, West Yorkshire
Good Friday
Nutters Dance
Bacup, Lancashire
Easter Sunday
Easter Parade
Battersea Park, London
Easter Monday
Harness Horse Parade
South of England Showground, West Sussex
Easter Monday
Hare Pie Scramble and Bottle Kicking
Hallaton, Leicestershire
Easter Monday
Hocktide Festival
Hungerford, Berkshire
Easter Tuesday
Northumbria Gathering
Morpeth, Northumbria
week after Easter
The Grand National
Aintree, Merseyside
2nd Saturday in April
Shakespeare's Birthday
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
April 21
Spring Flower Show
Harrogate, North Yorkshire
late April
Badminton Three Day Event
Badminton, Gloucestershire
late April or early May
May
May Morning Ceremony
Oxford
May 1
Royal May Day Celebration
Knutsford, Cheshire
1st Saturday in May
Flower Parade
Spalding, Lincolnshire
early May
Furry Dance
Helston, Cornwall
May 8
Garland Day
Abbotsbury, Dorset
May 13
Chippenham Folk Festival
Chippenham, Gloucestershire
Second May bank-holiday weekend
Bath Festival of the Arts
Bath
late May to early June
Chelsea Flower Show
Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London
late May to early June
TT Motorcycle Races
Isle of Man
late May to early June
Arbor Tree Day
Aston on Clun, Shropshire
late May
Garland Day
Castleton, Derbyshire
May 29
Dickens Festival
Rochester, Kent
late May or early June
Royal Bath and West Show
Shepton Mallet, Somerset
late May or early June
Woolsack Races
Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Spring Bank Holiday
June
The Derby
Epsom, Surrey
1st Wednesday in June
Loseley Medieval Festival
Loseley Park, nr Guildford, Surrey
first weekend in June
Scuttlebrook Wake
Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire
Saturday after Spring Bank Holiday
Appleby Horse Fair
Appleby Cumbria
2nd Tuesday and Wednesday in June
Trooping the Colour
Horse Guard Parade, London
2nd Saturday in June
Royal Cornwall Show
Wadebridge, Cornwall
2nd week in June
Aldeburgh Festival of Music and the Arts
Aldeburgh, Suffolk
2nd to 4th weeks in June
Stapleford Steam
Stapleford Park, nr. Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
mid June
Three Counties Agricultural Show
Great Malvern, Hereford and Worcester
mid June
Stour Music Festival
Boughton Aluph, Kent
late June
Royal Ascot Race Meeting
Ascot, Berkshire
late June
Bedfordshire Medieval Fayre
Twinwood Airfield, Clapham, Bedford
last weekend in June
website
Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship
Wimbledon, London
late June to early July
July
Tynwald Day
Isle of Man
July 5
Royal Henley Regatta
Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
1st week in July
Cheltenham International Festival of Music
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
1st and 3rd weeks in July
British Rose Festival
Chiswell Green, Hertfordshire
early July
Royal International Agricultural Show
Stoneleigh, Warwickshire
early July
Great Yorkshire Agricultural Show
Harrogate, North Yorkshire
2nd week in July
International Musical Eisteddfod
Llangollen, Clwyd
early July
Royal Welsh Show
Builth Wells, Powys
3rd week in July
Black Cherry Fair
Chertsey, Surrey
2nd Saturday in July
website
Royal Tournament
Earl's Court, London
mid July
East Anglian Medieval Fayre
Rougham Airfield, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
third weekend in July
website
Buxton International Arts Festival
Buxton, Derbyshire
mid July to early August
Tweedmouth Salmon Feast
Tweedmouth, Northumberland
Sunday following July 18
Tolpuddle Martyrs Procession
Tolpuddle, Dorset
3rd Sunday in July
Durham Miners Gala
Durham
Saturday in the 2nd week of July
International Air Show
Farnborough, Hampshire
late July
August
Royal National Eisteddfod
throughout Wales
1st week in August
Sidmouth International Festival
Sidmouth, Devon
Week including first Monday of August
Web site
Sussex Medieval Festival
Balcombe, nr Crawley, West Sussex
first weekend in August
website
Cowes Week
Cowes, Isle of Wight
2nd week in August
Priddy Sheep Fair
Priddy, Somerset
mid August
Southport Flower Show
The longest-running and largest independent flower show in the country
Victoria Park
Southport, PR8 2BZ
August 18-21
Website
Grasmere Sports
Grasmere, Cumbria
closest Thursday to August 20
Burning of Bartle
West Wilton, North Yorkshire
closest Saturday to August 24
Plague Sunday Service
Eyam, Derbyshire
last Sunday in August
Navy Days
Plymouth and Portsmouth
August Bank Holiday
Free Folk Festival
Baggeridge Country Park
Gospel End, Nr Dudley
West Midlands
31st August - 2nd September
website
September
Hop Hoodening
Canterbury, Kent
early September
St. Giles Fair
Oxford
1st full week in September
Christchurch Medieval Festival
Town Quays, Christchurch, Dorset
first weekend in September
website
Horn Dance
Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire
1st Monday following 1st Sunday after September 4 (got that?)
Burghley Horse Trials
Burghley House, Stamford
early September
Blackpool Illuminations
Blackpool, Lancashire
early September to early November
Bedfordshire Steam & Country Fayre
Old Warden Park, Bedfordshire
Mid September (3rd weekend after August Bank Holiday)
World Carriage Driving Championships
Windsor, Berkshire
3rd week September
Victorian Festival
Llandidrod Wells, Powys
3rd week in September
Great Autumn Flower Show
Harrogate, North Yorkshire
mid September
Dr Johnson's Birthday
Lichfield, Staffordshire
September 18
Egremont Crab Fair
Egremont, Cumbria
closest Saturday to September 18
Barnstaple Old Fair
Barnstaple, Devon
3rd week in September
Painswick Church Clipping
Painswick, Gloucestershire
3rd week in September
October
Horse of the Year Show
NEC, Birmingham
6-10 October
Nottingham Goose Fair
Nottingham
early October
Tavistock Goose Fair
Tavistock, Devon
October 10
Pack Monday Fair
Sherborne, Dorset
1st Monday following October 10
Border Shepherds Show
Alwinton, Northumberland
2nd week in October
Stratford Mop Fair
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
mid October
RISC OS Show
Epsom Downs Racecourse, Surrey
mid to late October
November
London to Brighton Veteran Car Run
Hyde Park Corner, London
1st Sunday in November
Guy Fawkes Night
numerous locations
November 5
Tar Barrel Rolling
Ottery St. Mary, Devon
November 5
Lord Mayor's Show
Guildhall to The Strand, London
2nd Saturday in November
Contemporary Music Festival
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
late November
December
Royal Smithfield Show
London
early December
Festival of Carols and Lessons
King's College Chapel, Cambridge
December 24
Greatham Sword Dance
Greatham, Cleveland
December 26
Allendale Tar Barrel Ceremony
Allendale, Northumberland
December 31
Image of the Haxey Hood is (c) Richard Croft, republished with gratitude under a Creative Commmons license
