Jack in the Green

We spent last weekend in Hastings for the annual Jack in the Green MayDay celebration. Sunday's "Drum Off" was a first for us, we were lucky enough to find a prime spot on a path above the square so had a great view (and weren't crushed - I get quite phobic in crowds, so I was very glad not to be down there)

As always, you can enlarge the pics by clicking on them:

Section 5 drummers arrive

Sambalanco came next

I was amused by the conductor, who kept his drummers in order with whistle and counting with fingers - but how else could it be done?

The third group were smaller, only 6 drummers I think, but they made up for numbers by enthusiasm and volume!

I found some youtube footage from the year before - turn up your volume to get the feel of it!

Monday's procession starts with Jack being released. I didn't know that this had been a chimney sweep tradition, marking the coming of spring and therefore the start of sweeping season. The tradition faded when we decided sending small boys up chimneys wasn't such a good idea - but no small boys were damaged in the procession. You can read more about the history here

Here's Jack

  

there were giants

LOTS of morris dancers...

Hunters Moon Morris dancers (with dog of course!) They're one of my favourite sides, wild and rowdy (yes, that's a good thing).

fabulous costumes everywhere, not just in the procession but many locals dress up too.

Mad Jack's Morris, one of the local Hastings sides. I've knitted a couple of them, years ago!

even Steampunk morris!

Did we dress up? 

lil bit!

Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day!

 What a venue for a pancake race! Many thanks to St Leonards Toss Off at Marine Quarter

Oooh look at that height!

Nicely tossed!

don't forget to toss!

And yes, there really was a dog race. 

Funnily enough most of them seemed to have eaten their pancakes by the time they returned!

A good time was certainly had by all!

Hastings Fireworks

We moved to this area in the spring, so hadn't been to Hastings Bonfire night before. It's earlier than the usual 5th November because the various local Bonfire Societies attend each other's festivities, so of course they all need to be on different dates. Hastings coincides with the anniversary of the one historical date we all know in England - 1066, the Battle of Hastings.

The procession was fun, lots of people dressed up with flaming torches. Most of them moved too quickly for me to snap!

I was pleased with this shot of the bonfire with spectators silhouetted against the flames.

MrNifty took the firewoorks shots, I was too busy ooohing and aaaahing! 

The display was fantastic, best I've ever been to.

This last pic is my favourite firework, never seen this one before. The orangey bits descended like vines with sparkly flowers on them, I felt as if I could stretch up my arm and catch one - truly beautiful. The photo doesn't do it justice but it reminds me of the magic!

Big thanks to Hastings Bonfire Society , find them on facebook here.

Oyez Oyez Oyez!

Today is the 60th National Championship for ... who'd have guessed? ... Town Criers! As it's in Hastings we went along.

We learned a little about the history. In the Middle Ages, town criers were the main means of news communication, and were protected by law. Obvivously sometimes the news they proclaimed wasn't welcome - more taxes perhaps - so assaulting a town crier was considered treason!

The bell and the starting cry of "Oyez oyez oyez" was of course to attract attention, and Oyez means "listen".

We're off to see who won later - but you can hear a sample from a previous year thanks to youtube:

Hastings Pirate Day

On Sunday, Hastings beach was the site for a Guinness Book of Records Challenge for the largest gathering of pirates and Mr Nifty and I were there! Early of course, I can never be late...that explains why it looks as if it's a pretty poor challenge in this pic. I'd just put my trusty cutlass down, which is just as well. I realised later that I'd been holding it as if it was a cup of tea, by the "handle" - which turned out to not be the correct way.

the beach slowly starting to fill up...

and more...

and more...

 The finale was a display by the Red Arrows 

but we escaped the madding crowds and went home to watch from our own (slightly less crowded) beach!

Thanks for a great day out - and well done to each and every one of the 14,231 pirates - we're back as the record holders!

Jack in the Green

By chance I got chatting with a couple of fellow beach-combers on Sunday, and they told me that it was Jack-in-the-Green weekend, with lots of morris dancing and drumming and a parade...just my type of event!

It turned out to be the home turf of Mad Jacks Morris who I knitted years ago for the Tenterden Folk Festival.

Sadly there were no buses running so I couldn't join the VERY busy drinkers, but I still had fun!

Here are just a few of my 125 photos! I started off standing with the drummers who were waiting to join the procession - yes, it was *LOUD*!

 So many fabulous costumes - mostly featuring green, not surprisingly!

I hadn't realised that the town entered into the spirit of the event so thoroughly and was quite ashamed not to be dressed up myself - next year I will! I did get splodged on the nose though...

Even dogs like to attend - though some of them aren't up to the long walk. I noticed the pram several times during the day, and only once did I see the dog awake, despite the noise! After the procession passed me I followed the crowd to get ahead of them and found a wall to perch on.

There were several giants, I'm guessing these are Autumn and Winter.

Great to see so many kids involved.

I don't know who the ladies below are, they certainly don't look like morris dancers but the crowd loved their flamboyance!

 This is "Jack" himself with his entourage - all green of course!

A giant mermaid (and why not?)

I wondered why there was a big gap before the next person...then I realised...

Not sure who these guys were intended to be - the leader was offering the one behind as a potential husband to the ladies in the crowd!

The end is in sight! This is the view down from the castle mound with the end of the procession and just a few of the spectators. There were great views over the town and sea from the castle, I'll have to go back another day when the weather is a little more friendly.