Llangynwyd Mari Lwyd
Llangynwyd, Bridgend
A horse skull draped in white calls at the village pub to battle the regulars in verse.
13 January 2027Traditional date
Wassails & the Mari Lwyd
In the dark weeks after Christmas, people still go out to bless the apple trees with song, cider and toast, and in Wales a horse’s skull on a pole, the Mari Lwyd, goes from door to door challenging households to a battle of rhymes.
These are small, friendly, often free events, and the best of them are a lovely mix of the eerie and the convivial.
5 events in this guide
In date order
- 13JanLlangynwyd Mari LwydLlangynwyd, Bridgend13 January 2027 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 15JanWhittlesea Straw Bear FestivalWhittlesey, Cambridgeshire15–17 January 2027 — date announcedStay nearby
- 16JanCarhampton WassailCarhampton, Somerset16 January 2027 — traditional dateStay nearby
- 16JanGoathland Plough Stots Day of DanceGoathland, North Yorkshire16 January 2027 — date announcedStay nearby
- JanusuallyChepstow Wassail and Mari LwydChepstow, MonmouthshireA Saturday in mid to late January, from about midday into the eveningStay nearby
The events
Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival
Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire
A straw-covered bear leads a procession with dance teams.
15–17 January 2027Date announced
Carhampton Wassail
Carhampton, Somerset
Villagers sing to the apple trees, fire shotguns and leave toast for the robins.
16 January 2027Traditional dateHave a go
Goathland Plough Stots Day of Dance
Goathland, North Yorkshire
Longsword dancers tour a moorland village on the Saturday after Plough Monday.
16 January 2027Date announced
Chepstow Wassail and Mari Lwyd
Chepstow, Monmouthshire
Horse-skull Mari Lwyds, morris dancers and an orchard wassail fill Chepstow in January.
A Saturday in mid to late January, from about midday into the eveningHave a go
“Stay nearby” links go to Booking.com, and each event guide also has train links. These are affiliate links. What that means.