This month is packed with folklore events to celebrate and there’s bound to be a local event near you to join in with or simply inspire you.

May Day itself on the first marks the start of summer. Often linked to the ancient festival of Beltane, look out for maypole or Morris dancing, bringing in the May (bringing in wildflowers), or celebrations around firepits with songs and stories.

Several English towns hold ‘Jack in the Green’ events where a ‘Green Man’ wreathed in oak is ‘slayed’ to release the spirit of summer – Hastings in East Sussex holds one of the most famous of these.

There are plenty of activities to help you get in touch with your folk side throughout the month, from the Furry Dances in Cornwall, to Garland Day in Dorset, Oak Apple Day in Shropshire to Grovely Forest Rights Day in Wiltshire.

You can, of course, also hold your own folk celebrations. Invite friends over for food around the firepit, hold a storytelling competition outdoors or make flower posies to give to friends.

This blog is taken from our Almanac pages, which each month look at things to note and notice, plan and do.

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