This is a weekend filled with excitement that brings in a lot of tourism for the town of Rochester. Morris dancing is traditionally performed on specific holidays, such as May Day, Whitsunday, and Christmas.īesides the daytime dancing and singing, the festivities continue at night in the many local pubs where bands play and everyone else drinks in celebration. Some Morris dancers wear tattered clothing and paint their faces black while others dress up in lively colors with detailed belts. These dances consist of about 6-10 dancers dressed up in various costumes depending on where they are from. A few songs have been written about the Jack-in-the-Green, including a track by the same name by Magpie Lane that is written in the traditional style of folk music and demonstrates the spirit of the festivities.Īt these May Day celebrations, the traditional English folk dancing called Morris dancing is a common sight. The leafy fellow begins by leading a procession of the traditional Morris dancers and chimney sweeps through the streets to begin the Rochester Sweeps Festival. This resulted in the establishment of the Jack-in-the-Green at every May Festival, including the Rochester Sweeps Festival. People would deck themselves out with strands of flowers and leaves to the point that the costumes would cover the man entirely causing him to look like an 8 foot high tree. The Jack-in-the-Green concept comes about from the elaborate costumes people used to wear during the May festival to celebrate the coming of spring. The celebration continues in a similar fashion today.Īnother important part of the tradition is the awakening of the Jack-in-the-Green at dawn during the festival. To celebrate their day off, the boys would gather and dance and sing while walking through the streets. In fact, this celebration was going on hundreds of years ago when the chimney sweep boys would have one day off a year on the 1st of May. This modern day festival that will mark its 32nd year in 2012 is not a recent development. The traditions of chimney sweeps run deep in England as does the comradery among those in the trade. Tourists actually come from all over the world to witness this unique event. The festival has many attractions ranging from traditional folk music, elaborate dancing, parades, group performances and other festive entertainment. Next year the festival will be held from Saturday, May 5th through Monday, May 7th, 2012. Some modern day sweeps get to do these things in real life too! Every year in May over the national bank holiday in England, there is a huge festival for chimney sweeps held in Rochester appropriately called the Rochester Sweeps Festival. Sweep Traditions in England Include Celebrationsīy Dave Lamb – sweeps sing, dance and have fun outside of Disney movies like Mary Poppins.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |