Festivals in the UK
January
Hogmanay New year celebrations in Scotland. New Year's Day
Jan 1
The New Year's Day Parade London More than 10,000 dancers, acrobats, cheerleaders, musicians and performers assemble in the heart of the city for a "celebration of nations." Starts as Big Ben strikes 12 Noon.
New Years Day Bank Holiday / Public Holiday Extra day when New Year's Days falls at a weekend.
Bank Holiday (Scotland only)
Jan 2
Twelfth Night (Christian) Christian observance of the close of Christmastide. Christmas decorations are taken down on 6th January (Twelfth Day), which is 12 days after Christmas Day.
Jan 5
Epiphany (Twelfth Day) (Christian Festival) The Epiphany honours the arrival of the Magi (three wise men) and the first public presentation of the Baby Jesus.
Jan 6
Plough Monday
Jan 7
Burn's Night The birthday of Scotland's most famous poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796), celebrated with great festivity by the Scots.
Jan 25
St. Dwynwen's Day - Welsh patron saint of lovers St Dwynwen's day is celebrated in Wales and commemorates the patron saint of friendship and love.
February
Candlemas Day (Christian festival)
Feb 2
St Valentine's Day (Christian) A time to tell someone that you love him/her. Both men and women can send cards. Traditionally names are not written on the cards.
Feb 14
Chinese New Year This is the first day in the Year of the Pig. Kung Hei Fat Choy means Happy New Year in Chinese language. Chinese New Year is popularly called the Spring Festival, and the festivities last for 15 days. It is also referred to as the lunar new year because it starts with the new moon on the first day of the new year and ends with the full moon 15 days later.
Jan 29
Chinese New Year Celebrations - Celebration of the Chinese New Year in the Chinatown area of London Celebration of the Chinese New Year in the Chinatown area of Manchester. Manchester welcomes the Year of the Rooster with a glittering array of festivities including Dragon and Lion Dances, Kung Fu demonstrations, folk dance performances, stalls and workshops, fireworks and the Golden Dragon Parade.
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Day (Christian) Christian carnival day on the eve of Ash Wednesday, which begins Lent, a time of fasting and devotions. Pancakes are often served. The day concludes the season of Epiphany.
Feb 28
The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race Teams of 4 race up and down the market to raise funds for charity at 12.30 pm. Old Spitalfields Market, Brushfield Street,
Ash Wednesday (The start of lent, Christian festival) Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the 40-day period known as Lent (the 40 days - excluding Sundays - before Easter Sunday). In Christian churches there are services in which ashes are used to mark a cross on people's foreheads. Some Christians stop eating some type of food during Lent, and use the period for religious thought.
Mar 1
Kissing Friday (the Friday after Ash Wednesday) On this Friday of Shrove Week, English schoolboys were once entitled to kiss girls in without fear of punishment or rejection, a custom that lasted until at least the 1940s.
Mar 3
March
St David's Day (Patron Saint of Wales) Celebrated in Wales in honour of Dewi Sant or St David, the patron saint of Wales. Many Welsh people wear a daffodil which is a national emblem of Wales.
St Piran's Day Cornwall All over Cornwall celebrations are staged for St Piran's Day.
Mar 5
Crufts Dog Show - Birmingham
Mar 9 - 12
Commonwealth Day People use the day to promote understanding about global issues, international co-operation and the work of the modern Commonwealth. Each year there is a different theme. The Queen will attend a special service in Westminster Abbey.
Mar 13
Mother's Day / Mothering Sunday (3 weeks before Easter) A time for people living in the UK to think about their mothers. People often give flowers or chocolates or organise a special day out for their mothers at this time, and send a special "Mother's Day" card.
Mar 26
Simnel Sunday The fourth Sunday in Lent when Simnel cakes are eaten.
London St Patrick's Day Festival A celebration of Irish culture in London on the Sunday before St Patrick's Day (17 March).
Mar 12
St Patrick's Day ( Patron Saint of Ireland) The church festival of St Patrick, is regarded as national day in Northern Ireland.
Mar 17
The First Day of Spring The first day of spring is around March 20 or 21, depending on what day the vernal equinox occurs. The days and night are each 12 hours (this is known as the spring "equinox").
Mar 20
British Summer Time Begins (daylight savings = clocks go forward 1 hour).
April
April Fool's Day A day of jokes and tricks. You have to play the joke before 12 o’clock midday, otherwise the joke is on you.
Apr 1
Palm Sunday ( Christian Festival) Christian celebration of the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The day begins Holy Week. It is observed by worship celebrations and parades using palm branches.
Apr 9
Maundy Thursday ( Christian Festival) Christians remember the Last Supper, when Jesus met with his followers before he was betrayed by Judas and was captured by the Romans.
Apr 13
Good Friday (Bank Holiday / Public Holiday) (Christian Festival) Christians remember the death of Jesus Christ, who was crucified (killed on a cross) by the Romans. Christian churches hold special services, and are often decorated with flowers.
Apr 14
Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race An annual university boat race on the Thames in London between Oxford University (the "Dark Blues") and Cambridge University (the "Light Blues").
Apr 2
Easter Sunday (Easter Day) (Christian Festival) The most holy of Christian sacred days. The day commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from his death by crucifixion. Observances include worship services beginning at sunrise, special music, feasting, and parades.
Apr 16
Easter Monday (Christian Festival) (Bank Holiday / Public Holiday)
Apr 17
Hop Monday Hops were introduced into England in the first quarter of the 16th century by Flemish immigrants. The first English book written about hop growing by Reynolds Scot, was published in 1574. It recommends that poles be erected in the spring as soon as the hops are above the ground.
Apr 10
The Grand National A famous horse race (a "steeplechase", which involves jumping over fences) at Aintree, near Liverpool.
Apr 8
Queen's Birthday (actual date and a private celebration) It is traditional for soldiers to fire cannons to celebrate royal birthdays or other national events. The Queen has an "official" birthday in June which is marked by the Trooping the Colour ceremony. National Events will mark the Queen's 80th birthday next year (2006).
Apr 21
London Marathon The London Marathon has been taking place each year since 1981. Many of the runners take part to raise money for charity.
Apr 23
St George's Day (Patron Saint of England) It is the church festival of St. George, regarded as England’s national day (although not an official bank holiday). On this day some patriotic English people wear a rose pinned to their jackets.
MAY
May Day
May 1
Early May Bank Holiday (Bank Holiday / Public Holiday)
Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival A great time to see Punch & Judy, a traditional British seaside summer entertainment. St Pauls Church Gardens, Bedford St, WC2. 10.30am - 5.30pm. Admission Free.
May 7
Ascension Day (Christian Festival) Christian recognition of the departure of Jesus from earth after the resurrection.
May 25
Pentecost\ Whitsuntide (Christian Festival) Christian observation of the day when the God the Holy Spirit came to the disciples in the forms of tongues of fire and rushing wind. It is a traditional day for baptism and confirmation of new Christians.
Jun 4
Spring Bank Holiday (UK- Whit Monday) (Bank Holiday / Public Holiday)
May 29
June
Coronation Day: gun salute Gun salute to mark the anniversary of the day when the Queen was crowned (in 1953). A 41-gun salute at 12 noon fired by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Hyde Park, London.
Jun 2
Derby Day Horse racing event at Epsom Downs Racecourse, ending in "the Derby", one of the most famous flat races.
The Queen's Official birthday (varies each year in June)
Jun 17
Trooping the Colour (Royal Tradition) The Queen's official birthday celebrations.
Father's Day (3rd Sunday of June)
Jun 18
Royal Ascot More than 300,000 people visit the Ascot racecourse during Royal Ascot week, making this Europe's most popular race meeting.
Jun 20-24
Summer begins The longest day of the year, when the Sun is at its most northern point in the sky. Due to Britain's northern location, the sun rises around 4:30 a.m. and doesn't set until 9:30 p.m. on this day.
Jun 21
Wimbledon Tennis Championships One of the four great world tennis championships and the only one which is played on grass.
Jun 26 - Jul 9
Midsummer's Day
Jun 24
July
Henley Royal Regatta The River Thames and the town of Henley on Thames are transformed into one large sporting and social arena where the world's best rowers compete.
June 28 - Jul 2
Tynwald Day Tynwald Day is the national holiday of the Isle of Man (Isle of Man: One of the British Isles in the Irish Sea).
July 5
Orange Men's Day (Northern Ireland) Protestant Irish march with drums and pipes. In 1690, William III of England defeated the exiled Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne. James, who had been in France, had invaded Ireland with French troops. Men wear orange sashes and black suits and bowler hats. Orange Day marches also take place in Birmingham and Liverpool, and in some parts of Canada, for example."
July 12
St. Swithun's Day (Also known as St Swithin's Day) Saint Swithin was England’s Bishop of Winchester. 40 days of bad weather will follow if it rains on this day
July 15
August
Holiday in Scotland
Aug
Reading Festival
Aug 25 -27
Notting Hill Carnival
Aug 27 -28
Late Summer Bank Holiday (Bank Holiday / Public Holiday) (last Monday in August, early August in Scotland)
Aug 28
September
First Day of Autumn
Sept 23
Harvest Festival
Sept
October
Apple Day
Oct
Trafalgar Day
Oct 21
British Summer Time Ends (daylight savings = clocks go back 1 hour)
Oct 29
Hallowe'en Night
Oct 31
November
All Saints Day (Christian) Christian day for honouring saints, known and unknown.
Nov 1
All Souls Day (Christian) Christian day of prayers of intercession for the dead.
Nov 2
Guy Fawkes Night (Bonfire Night)
400th anniversary of the Gun Powder Plot (2005)
Nov 5
Lord Mayor’s Show & Fireworks Display (2nd Saturday in November) The first Lord Mayor's Show was held in 1215 and since its conception only major events such as the Black Death - and in 1852, the funeral of the Duke of Wellington - have stopped the show.
Nov 11
Armistice Day 2 minutes silence at 11 a.m.
Remembrance Sunday The Queen, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries lay wreaths and observe a minute's silence (at 11am) at the Cenotaph to commemorate those who gave their lives for their country in both world wars. Afterwards, the Bishop of London takes a short service of remembrance.
Nov 12
Stir-up Sunday
Nov 26
The State Opening of Parliament (the first day of the new parliamentary session) The Queen's Speech is delivered by the Queen from the Throne in the House of Lords.
Nov
St Andrew's Day (Patron Saint of Scotland) It is the church festival of the St. Andrew, regarded as Scotland’s national Day (although it is not an official bank holiday).
Nov 30
Advent Sunday - Start of Advent Christian time of preparation for observing the birth of Jesus Christ.
Dec 3
December
Winter Solstice Shortest Day of the year, when the Sun is at its most southern point.
Dec 21
Christmas Day (Bank Holiday / Public Holiday) (Christian Festival) Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Observed by prayers, exchanging of gifts, and family parties.
Dec 25
Boxing Day (Bank Holiday)
Dec 26
St Stephen's Day
Hogmanay (Scotland)
Dec 31
New Year's Eve At midnight everybody joins hands and sings Auld Lang Syne.