Traditional date
Fire tradition · Scotland
Beltane Fire Festival
Calton Hill, Edinburgh
Drummers, fire and the May Queen's procession welcome summer on Edinburgh's Calton Hill.
30 April 2027
ROUND-UP GUIDE · 10 EVENTS
May Day madness.
May Day is when Britain’s folk calendar really comes alive. Hobby horses dance through Padstow and Minehead, choristers sing from Magdalen Tower at dawn, chimney sweeps parade in Rochester and Edinburgh lights up Calton Hill for Beltane.
Many of these happen on the same weekend, so pick one, book early and go for the whole day.
At a glance
- Beltane Fire Festival 30 April 2027 · Calton Hill, Edinburgh Stay nearby ↗
- Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green 30 April – 3 May 2027 · Hastings, East Sussex Stay nearby ↗
- Minehead Hobby Horse 30 April – 4 May 2027 · Minehead, Somerset Stay nearby ↗
- Oxford May Morning 1 May 2027 · Oxford, Oxfordshire Stay nearby ↗
- Padstow ’Obby ’Oss 1 May 2027 · Padstow, Cornwall Stay nearby ↗
- Rochester Sweeps Festival 1–3 May 2027 · Rochester, Kent Stay nearby ↗
- Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival 9 May 2027 · Covent Garden, London Stay nearby ↗
- Holywood May Day Early May bank holiday Monday · Holywood, County Down Stay nearby ↗
- Ballyclare May Fair A week in mid to late May, with the horse fair on the Tuesday · Ballyclare, County Antrim Stay nearby ↗
- Knutsford Royal May Day The first Saturday in May · Knutsford, Cheshire Stay nearby ↗
Date announced
Folk tradition · England
Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green
Hastings, East Sussex
Green-clad processions, traditional dance and music.
30 April – 3 May 2027
Traditional date
Folk tradition · England
Minehead Hobby Horse
Minehead, Somerset
Two canvas-and-ribbon hobby horses dance through Minehead and Dunster around May Day.
30 April – 4 May 2027
Traditional date
Folk tradition · England
Oxford May Morning
Oxford, Oxfordshire
Choristers greet May Day at 6am from Magdalen Tower before morris dancing across Oxford.
1 May 2027
Traditional date
Folk tradition · England
Padstow ’Obby ’Oss
Padstow, Cornwall
Two 'osses dance through Padstow all day on May Day to drums, accordions and the May Song.
1 May 2027
Traditional date
Folk tradition · England
Rochester Sweeps Festival
Rochester, Kent
Morris sides, sweeps and the Jack-in-the-Green fill Rochester over the May bank holiday.
1–3 May 2027
Traditional date
Folk tradition · England
Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival
Covent Garden, London
Punch and Judy puppeteers parade, attend church and perform for Mr Punch's birthday.
9 May 2027
Usually May
Folk tradition · Northern Ireland
Holywood May Day
Holywood, County Down
Children dance round the maypole Holywood calls the last one remaining in the country.
Early May bank holiday Monday
Usually May
Folk tradition · Northern Ireland
Ballyclare May Fair
Ballyclare, County Antrim
An old horse fair returns to Main Street during a week of parades, funfair rides and fireworks.
A week in mid to late May, with the horse fair on the Tuesday
Usually May
Ceremony & pageantry · England
Knutsford Royal May Day
Knutsford, Cheshire
A costumed procession, sanded pavements and a May Queen crowned on Knutsford Heath.
The first Saturday in May
“Stay nearby” links go to Booking.com, and each event guide also has train links. These are affiliate links — what that means.