THE ODD CALENDAR
A year of the
gloriously strange.
Every confirmed and traditional date for the next thirteen months, plus the events we know are coming but haven’t been dated yet.
Fire traditionFolk traditionTraditional gamesUnusual competitionUnusual raceFestive swimCeremony & pageantry
October 2026
October guide ↗Dates in the diary
- 28 October – 1 November 2026 Derry Halloween Derry~Londonderry, County Londonderry Date announced
- 30 October – 1 November 2026 Whitby Goth Weekend Whitby, North Yorkshire Date announced
Usually this month — date to be confirmed
- Hastings Bonfire Hastings, East Sussex · A Saturday in mid-October (Saturday 17 October in 2026)
- Nottingham Goose Fair Nottingham, Nottinghamshire · Late September into early October; next dates unconfirmed
November 2026
November guide ↗Dates in the diary
- 28 October – 1 November 2026 Derry Halloween Derry~Londonderry, County Londonderry Date announced
- 30 October – 1 November 2026 Whitby Goth Weekend Whitby, North Yorkshire Date announced
- 5 November 2026 Lewes Bonfire Night Lewes, East Sussex Traditional date
- 5 November 2026 Ottery St Mary Tar Barrels Ottery St Mary, Devon Date announced
- 5 November 2026 Turning the Devil’s Stone Shebbear, Devon Traditional date
- 7 November 2026 Battle Bonfire Battle, East Sussex Date announced
- 7 November 2026 Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival Bridgwater, Somerset Date announced
- 7 November 2026 Edenbridge Bonfire Edenbridge, Kent Date announced
- 14 November 2026 Hatherleigh Carnival tar barrels Hatherleigh, Devon Date announced
- 14 November 2026 Real Ale Wobble Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys Date announced
- 14 November 2026 Rye Bonfire Rye, East Sussex Traditional date
December 2026
December guide ↗Dates in the diary
- 21 December 2026 Burning the Clocks Brighton, East Sussex Traditional date
- 23 December 2026 Tom Bawcock’s Eve Mousehole, Cornwall Traditional date
- 25 December 2026 Kirkwall Ba’ Game Kirkwall, Orkney Traditional date
- 25 December 2026 Peter Pan Cup Christmas Day Swim Hyde Park, London Traditional date
- 26 December 2026 Marshfield Mummers (Old Time Paper Boys) Marshfield, Gloucestershire Traditional date
- 26 December 2026 Tenby Boxing Day Swim Tenby, Pembrokeshire Traditional date
- 31 December 2026 Allendale Tar Bar’l Allendale, Northumberland Traditional date
- 31 December 2026 Biggar Hogmanay Bonfire Biggar, South Lanarkshire Traditional date
- 31 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 Comrie Flambeaux Comrie, Perthshire Traditional date
- 31 December 2026 Nos Galan Road Races Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf Traditional date
- 31 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 Stonehaven Fireballs Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire Traditional date
Usually this month — date to be confirmed
- Glastonbury Holy Thorn Cutting Glastonbury, Somerset · A schoolday in December before Christmas; the date varies
January 2027
January guide ↗Dates in the diary
- 31 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 Comrie Flambeaux Comrie, Perthshire Traditional date
- 31 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 Stonehaven Fireballs Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire Traditional date
- 1 January 2027 Loony Dook South Queensferry, Edinburgh Traditional date
- 1 January 2027 Saundersfoot New Year’s Day Swim Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire Date announced
- 6 January 2027 Haxey Hood Haxey, Lincolnshire Traditional date
- 8 January 2027 Scalloway Fire Festival Scalloway, Shetland Date announced
- 11 January 2027 Burning of the Clavie Burghead, Moray Traditional date
- 13 January 2027 Hen Galan in the Gwaun Valley Cwm Gwaun, Pembrokeshire Traditional date
- 13 January 2027 Llangynwyd Mari Lwyd Llangynwyd, Bridgend Traditional date
- 15–17 January 2027 Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire Date announced
- 16 January 2027 Carhampton Wassail Carhampton, Somerset Traditional date
- 16 January 2027 Goathland Plough Stots Day of Dance Goathland, North Yorkshire Date announced
- 26 January 2027 Up Helly Aa Lerwick, Shetland Date announced
Usually this month — date to be confirmed
- Chepstow Wassail and Mari Lwyd Chepstow, Monmouthshire · A Saturday in mid to late January, from about midday into the evening
February 2027
February guide ↗Dates in the diary
- 7 February 2027 Grimaldi Clowns’ Service Haggerston, London Traditional date
- 8 February 2027 Hurling the Silver Ball, St Ives St Ives, Cornwall Traditional date
- 9 February 2027 Alnwick Shrovetide Football Alnwick, Northumberland Traditional date
- 9 February 2027 Atherstone Ball Game Atherstone, Warwickshire Traditional date
- 9 February 2027 Olney Pancake Race Olney, Buckinghamshire Date announced
- 9–10 February 2027 Royal Shrovetide Football Ashbourne, Derbyshire Traditional date
- 9 February 2027 Scarborough Skipping Day Scarborough, North Yorkshire Traditional date
- 9 February 2027 Sedgefield Ball Game Sedgefield, County Durham Traditional date
- 9 February 2027 St Columb Hurling St Columb Major, Cornwall Traditional date
- 11 February 2027 Jedburgh Ba’ Game Jedburgh, Scottish Borders Traditional date
March 2027
March guide ↗Dates in the diary
- 1 March 2027 Whuppity Scoorie Lanark, South Lanarkshire Traditional date
- 14 March 2027 UK Wife Carrying Race Dorking, Surrey Date announced
- 18 March 2027 Kiplingcotes Derby Kiplingcotes, East Riding of Yorkshire Traditional date
- 25 March 2027 Tichborne Dole Tichborne, Hampshire Traditional date
- 26 March 2027 British and World Marbles Championship Tinsley Green, West Sussex Traditional date
- 26 March 2027 Heptonstall Pace Egg Play Heptonstall, West Yorkshire Traditional date
- 27 March 2027 Britannia Coconut Dancers of Bacup Bacup, Lancashire Traditional date
- 29 March 2027 Hallaton Bottle Kicking & Hare Pie Scramble Hallaton, Leicestershire Traditional date
- 29 March 2027 World Coal Carrying Championship Gawthorpe, West Yorkshire Traditional date
Usually this month — date to be confirmed
- Oranges and Lemons Service St Clement Danes, Strand, London · Around the third Thursday in March
April 2027
April guide ↗Dates in the diary
- 6 April 2027 Hungerford Hocktide (Tutti Day) Hungerford, Berkshire Traditional date
- 30 April 2027 Beltane Fire Festival Calton Hill, Edinburgh Traditional date
- 30 April – 3 May 2027 Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green Hastings, East Sussex Date announced
- 30 April – 4 May 2027 Minehead Hobby Horse Minehead, Somerset Traditional date
Usually this month — date to be confirmed
- Links Market Kirkcaldy, Fife · Six days from a Wednesday in mid-April
May 2027
May guide ↗Dates in the diary
- 30 April – 3 May 2027 Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green Hastings, East Sussex Date announced
- 30 April – 4 May 2027 Minehead Hobby Horse Minehead, Somerset Traditional date
- 1–3 May 2027 Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza Llandudno, Conwy Date announced
- 1 May 2027 Oxford May Morning Oxford, Oxfordshire Traditional date
- 1 May 2027 Padstow ’Obby ’Oss Padstow, Cornwall Traditional date
- 1–3 May 2027 Rochester Sweeps Festival Rochester, Kent Traditional date
- 3 May 2027 Ickwell May Day Ickwell, Bedfordshire Date announced
- 5 May 2027 Planting the Penny Hedge Whitby, North Yorkshire Traditional date
- 6–12 May 2027 Tissington Well Dressing Tissington, Derbyshire Traditional date
- 8 May 2027 Helston Flora Day Helston, Cornwall Traditional date
- 9 May 2027 Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival Covent Garden, London Traditional date
- 16 May 2027 St Briavels Bread and Cheese Dole St Briavels, Gloucestershire Traditional date
- 24 May 2027 Rowell Fair Proclamation Rothwell, Northamptonshire Date announced
- 28–31 May 2027 Hunting the Earl of Rone Combe Martin, Devon Traditional date
- 29 May 2027 Castleton Garland Day Castleton, Derbyshire Traditional date
- 29 May 2027 Great Wishford Grovely Day (Oak Apple Day) Great Wishford, Wiltshire Traditional date
- 30 May 2027 Maldon Mud Race Promenade Park, Maldon, Essex Date announced
- 31 May 2027 Bampton Morris Day of Dance Bampton, Oxfordshire Date announced
- 31 May 2027 Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling Cooper’s Hill, near Gloucester Traditional date
- 31 May 2027 Kingsteignton Ram Roasting Fair Kingsteignton, Devon Date announced
- 31 May 2027 Lichfield Greenhill Bower Lichfield, Staffordshire Traditional date
Usually this month — date to be confirmed
- Ballyclare May Fair Ballyclare, County Antrim · A week in mid to late May, with the horse fair on the Tuesday
- Blackawton International Festival of Wormcharming Blackawton, Devon · Early May, usually the Sunday of the early May bank holiday weekend
- Holywood May Day Holywood, County Down · Early May bank holiday Monday
- Knutsford Royal May Day Knutsford, Cheshire · The first Saturday in May
- Portrush RNLI Raft Race Portrush, County Antrim · Usually late May
- Stilton Cheese Rolling Stilton, Cambridgeshire · Spring Bank Holiday weekend at the end of May (2025: Sunday 25 May; 2026: Saturday 24 May)
- Tetbury Woolsack Races Tetbury, Gloucestershire · Spring bank holiday Monday (late May)
- Wirksworth Well Dressing Wirksworth, Derbyshire · Around the late May spring bank holiday weekend
- World Pooh Sticks Championships Sandford-on-Thames, Oxfordshire · Usually a Sunday in late May
June 2027
June guide ↗Dates in the diary
- 3–9 June 2027 Appleby Horse Fair Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria Date announced
- 10–12 June 2027 Hawick Common Riding Hawick, Scottish Borders Traditional date
- 10 June 2027 Lanimer Day Lanark, South Lanarkshire Traditional date
- 12 June 2027 Great Knaresborough Bed Race Knaresborough, North Yorkshire Date announced
- 12 June 2027 World Custard Pie Championship Coxheath, Kent Date announced
- 18 June 2027 Selkirk Common Riding Selkirk, Scottish Borders Traditional date
- 19 June 2027 Bawming the Thorn Appleton Thorn, Cheshire Traditional date
- 19–24 June 2027 Youlgreave Well Dressing Youlgreave, Derbyshire Traditional date
Usually this month — date to be confirmed
- Cotswold Olimpick Games Dover’s Hill, Gloucestershire · The Friday after the spring bank holiday
- Man v Horse Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys · A Saturday in June
- World Crazy Golf Championships Hastings, East Sussex · Usually in June
- World Egg Throwing Championships Swaton, Lincolnshire · Last Sunday in June, as part of Swaton Vintage Day (27 June 2027 if the pattern holds)
- World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship Marshwood, Dorset · Every summer, usually in June
- World Worm Charming Championships Willaston near Nantwich, Cheshire · A Saturday in June
July 2027
July guide ↗Dates in the diary
- 3 July 2027 Galashiels Braw Lads’ Gathering Galashiels, Scottish Borders Date announced
- 10 July 2027 World Peashooting Championship Witcham, Cambridgeshire Date announced
- 19 July 2027 Burntisland Highland Games Burntisland, Fife Traditional date
- 25 July 2027 Ebernoe Horn Fair Ebernoe, West Sussex Traditional date
- 30 July 2027 Langholm Common Riding Langholm, Dumfries and Galloway Traditional date
Usually this month — date to be confirmed
- Ambleside Rushbearing Ambleside, Cumbria · Usually the first Saturday in July
- Armagh Road Bowls (Ulster Championships) Keady and lanes around Armagh, County Armagh · Ulster finals usually in July; club fixtures through spring and summer
- Bodmin Riding and Heritage Day Bodmin, Cornwall · Usually the first weekend of July; await the next programme
- Duns Summer Festival Reivers Rideout Duns, Scottish Borders · Usually early July during Duns Summer Festival
- Grasmere Rushbearing Grasmere, Cumbria · A Saturday in mid-July, usually the second Saturday (formerly near St Oswald's Day, 5 August)
- Oxenhope Straw Race Oxenhope, West Yorkshire · First Sunday in July, starting at noon (4 July 2027 if the pattern holds)
- Swan Upping River Thames, Sunbury to Abingdon · Five days, Monday to Friday, in mid-July (2026: 13-17 July)
- UK Wife Carrying Championships Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway · Mid-July, as part of Kirkcudbright Country Fair (first held in 2026)
- Wenlock Olympian Games Much Wenlock, Shropshire · June and July each year, with the main athletics day on a Sunday in mid-July and the Wenlock Mile in September
- World Snail Racing Championships Congham, Norfolk · Usually a Saturday in mid-July, from 2pm
- World Toe Wrestling Championship Ashbourne, Derbyshire · Usually a Saturday in July or August
August 2027
August guide ↗Dates in the diary
- 13 August 2027 The Burryman South Queensferry, Edinburgh Traditional date
- 21 August 2027 Irvine Marymass Irvine, North Ayrshire Traditional date
- 29 August 2027 Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show Grasmere, Cumbria Date announced
Usually this month — date to be confirmed
- Brambles Bank cricket match The Solent, Hampshire · Once a year on a very low spring tide, usually late summer; time set by the tide
- Cilgerran Coracle Races Cilgerran, Pembrokeshire · Saturday near 19 August, during Cilgerran Festive Week
- Ould Lammas Fair Ballycastle, County Antrim · Late August: a weekend of events followed by the main fair days on Monday and Tuesday
- World Bog Snorkelling Championships Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys · August bank holiday weekend
- World Gravy Wrestling Championships Bacup, Lancashire · Late summer, recently on the August bank holiday Monday
- World Hen Racing Championship Bonsall, Derbyshire · Usually the first Saturday in August, at the Barley Mow pub
- World Mountain Bike Chariot Racing Championship Llanwrtyd Wells area, Powys · A Saturday in August
September 2027
September guide ↗Dates in the diary
- 4 September 2027 Braemar Gathering Braemar, Aberdeenshire Date announced
- 11 September 2027 World Stone Skimming Championships Easdale Island, Argyll Date announced
- 14 September 2027 Widecombe Fair Widecombe-in-the-Moor, Devon Traditional date
Usually this month — date to be confirmed
- Abbots Bromley Horn Dance Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire · Wakes Monday: the Monday after the first Sunday after 4 September
- Bridport Hat Festival Bridport, Dorset · Usually the first Saturday in September
- Doggett’s Coat and Badge Race River Thames, London · Once a year in late summer, timed to the tide; recently early September (2026: Wednesday 2 September)
- Egremont Crab Fair and Gurning World Championships Egremont, Cumbria · Third Saturday in September
- Pearly Kings and Queens Harvest Festival City of London, London · A Sunday in late September (2026: Sunday 20 September)
- Whitstable Landing of the Oysters Whitstable, Kent · Usually in September as part of Whitstable Rocks Oyster Festival
- World Black Pudding Throwing Championships Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester · Usually the second Sunday in September, outside The Oaks pub on Bridge Street
October 2027
October guide ↗Dates in the diary
- 2 October 2027 Golden Spurtle World Porridge Championship Carrbridge, Highland Date announced
- 10 October 2027 World Conker Championships Southwick, Northamptonshire Date announced
Usually this month — date to be confirmed
- Hastings Bonfire Hastings, East Sussex · A Saturday in mid-October (Saturday 17 October in 2026)
- Nottingham Goose Fair Nottingham, Nottinghamshire · Late September into early October; next dates unconfirmed