Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green

Plan around the new programme

Previous programming includes a grand procession through the Old Town and activities on the West Hill. Use those descriptions to understand the festival, then wait for the 2027 programme before choosing particular performances or booking timed travel. Past start times and ticket links should not be treated as current.

The story behind it

The Jack in the Green is thought to date from around the 17th century, when London milkmaids and chimney sweeps paraded on May Day. The milkmaids decorated their pails, then their heads, with flowers, while the sweeps built garlands that grew and grew until they covered a whole man. In Hastings and St Leonards at least two groups paraded a Jack until about 1889, but the custom died out across the country in the early 20th century. In 1983 Mad Jack's Morris revived it in Hastings and gave Jack a face of his own, and the side has helped host the festival ever since. At the end of the day Jack is stripped of his leaves to release the spirit of summer, and catching a leaf is said to bring a year of good luck.

Getting around Hastings

The organiser’s access guide distinguishes the relatively level Old Town streets from steeper routes towards the West Hill. It identifies town-centre parking at Priory Meadow as an alternative to Old Town car parks. Check current parking arrangements and allow for festival road closures.

Access and facilities

The access guide describes individual venues, public toilets and possible procession viewing locations. It also says the West Hill Lift does not provide step-free wheelchair access. Read the route details carefully rather than assuming that a lift makes the whole visit accessible.

Taking part

You can do more than follow Jack. The organiser invites would-be participants to look into local performance groups, or to join a traditional dance group nearer home if you’re travelling from elsewhere. That’s a far better route to performing than turning up in costume and expecting to slot into a programmed side. Volunteering is another way in, with a dedicated contact on the festival website; ask what help is needed and how much commitment a role involves.

The 2026 programme shows the weekend’s range: a family ceilidh with a caller, singarounds, giants, concerts and dance spots, as well as the grand procession. Use that spread to work out what you’d enjoy when the new programme appears. A called dance and a performance by an established side come with different expectations, so read the event description before you leap in.

In the past some activities were free with donations invited, while others went through a box office, and neither arrangement covers the whole festival. Book only through the new edition’s link for that particular event, and remember a ticketed evening is a different thing from the outdoor procession. If you’d rather just watch, an official donation to the charity is another way to support it.

Accessibility and families

Take the access guide venue by venue. It lists step-free Old Town dance spots including the Stade Open Space, Winkle Island, Butler’s Gap, George Street and East Parade, giving anyone who’d rather stay on the lower streets several options without tackling the hilltop finale. Check which are actually programmed this time, and pick a base with room to move away when a crowd builds.

Toilet access varies by location, too. The organiser lists a Changing Places facility at the Stade and accessible facilities at several seafront spots, but describes some pub toilets as unsuitable for wheelchair users even where the entrance is step-free. So an easy front door doesn’t answer every access question. Check current arrangements with the venue or council, especially if your day depends on an attendant or a particular key arrangement.

For families, choose a handful of activities with a meal or quiet break in between, rather than chasing every procession. Read the supervision requirements for individual events. A short session at an accessible lower-town dance spot may suit your group far better than a whole day of crowd-following and steep climbs.

Make a day of it nearby

The Shipwreck Museum on Rock-a-Nore Road puts the Old Town’s maritime setting in context. Its collections include material from ships wrecked in the English Channel, among them the eighteenth-century Amsterdam and the seventeenth-century Anne, alongside local fossils. The museum describes itself as accessible for wheelchair users and lists free admission, though it’s worth checking its visitor information for opening during the busy festival period. It’s also a far simpler plan than trying to reach a wreck on the shore without specialist advice.

Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, at John’s Place, has local history, fine art and world-cultures collections. Its programme changes, so pick an exhibition running on your dates; a display on this autumn won’t necessarily last into May. The festival access guide points visitors to the museum’s own access information for building facilities and arrival details.

Both are separate attractions, and neither is the Fishermen’s Museum linked with Jack’s previous procession, so check the address before arranging to meet anyone. Go for the maritime collections to stay with the Old Town setting, or make a separate trip to the broader town museum; either gives a welcome pause from the bells, drums and greenery.

Questions people ask

Where it is

Map pin shows the approximate area where the event happens. Open in OpenStreetMap ↗

Go straight to the source

Independent research. The organiser’s own information always wins — we have not visited or tested the journeys.

• Organiser dates and programme ↗
• Organiser accessibility information ↗
• Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green: about ↗
• Festival organiser: dates, volunteering and previous programme ↗
• Festival organiser: detailed access guide ↗
• Shipwreck Museum: official visitor information ↗
• Hastings Museum and Art Gallery: official collections ↗