![Every 5th November the streets of Ottery St Mary are lit by blazing tar barrels, carried by the residents of the town; the barrels weigh 30kg and are carried at […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IMG_9214-426x250.jpg "Ottery St Mary Flaming Tar Barrels")
![This is an ancient custom dating back hundreds of years -nobody knows exactly how long but it’s reputedly one of the oldest traditions in Europe. It starts with a simple […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IMG_7518-480x250.jpg "Abbots Bromley Horn Dance")
Welcome to Calendar Customs!
This site aims to list the wide variety of traditional and unusual events that take place each year in the UK and to help visitors take part in them. Each event has its own page giving details of its timing and location, as well as a very brief history and notes on what to expect. Enjoy!
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Browse all Customs by Month
![Haxey Hood is one of the ancient mass-participation festival games and is the earliest in the year, sometimes taking place in snow. Instead of a football, the players use “hoods” […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/The-Fool-is-Smoked-640x250.jpg "Haxey Hood")
Haxey Hood
Haxey Hood is one of the ancient mass-participation festival games and is the earliest in the year, sometimes taking place in snow. Instead of a football, the players use “hoods” […]
Featured Stories
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![The annual Tortoise Fair at Corpus Christi College is an ever more popular event in the local calendar, the highlight of which is the hotly contested Tortoise Race. Several colleges […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2297-195x110.jpeg "Oxford Tortoise Fair")
Oxford Tortoise Fair
The annual Tortoise Fair at Corpus Christi College is an ever more popular event in the local calendar, the highlight of which is the hotly contested Tortoise Race. Several colleges […]
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![The annual cheeserolling event is famed for the steepness of its course and the hazards to the competitors as they hurtle downhill in pursuit of a Double Gloucester cheese. Because […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_0189-195x110.jpg "Coopers Hill Cheese Rolling")
Coopers Hill Cheese Rolling
The annual cheeserolling event is famed for the steepness of its course and the hazards to the competitors as they hurtle downhill in pursuit of a Double Gloucester cheese. Because […]
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![Helston Flora Day is one of the oldest surviving May customs celebrating the end of winter and coming of spring. A series of dances are performed throughout the day starting […]](https://calendarcustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/DSC00584-195x110.jpg "Helston Flora Day & Furry Dance")
Helston Flora Day & Furry Dance
Helston Flora Day is one of the oldest surviving May customs celebrating the end of winter and coming of spring. A series of dances are performed throughout the day starting […]
Averil's Picks
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Dance
Chepstow Wassail and Mari Lwyd
6 Comments -
Ancient Custom
Dunmow Flitch Trials
2 Comments -
Dance
Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival
5 Comments -
December
Chester Saturnalia
No Comments