Why not visit the Medway Sweeps Festival (Rochester, Kent, UK) for a very traditional / pagan British experience.
The Medway Sweeps Festival started life some 400 years ago, when it was commonplace for children (in addition to men) to be sent up chimneys as sweeps. As a diversion this holiday (traditionally held in May) was market by a procession through the streets of Rochester and a ‘Jack-in-the-Green’ ceremony which was held at Dawn and involved the ‘waking’ of a 7 foot character.
Fortunately the practice of child sweeps was outlawed in 1896 (by the Climbing Boys Act) and the festival ceased in the early 1900’s until its resurrection in 1981.
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You don’t have to be a celebrity to go on your own bush tucker trial!
Head to Hokitika on the south island of New Zealand on 13th - 15th March to sample the ‘delights’ on offer! Join the crowds who have been lured here with a curiosity for strange flavours. Fancy swallowing crickets, chewing slugs, gobbling sheep’s eyes and nibbling on sausages made from bulls’ penise, you pay’s your money and you take your choice!
Hokitika is a tiny, beautiful town in the middle of the wild, cold, wet, and did I say wild? West Coast of the southern island of New Zealand. It’s known as the “Greenstone (New Zealand Jade) Capital of the World,” the small seaside town is not much more than a few shops with a beach reputed to wash up jade along the shore. Every spring over 15,000 travelers, tourists, locals, and freaks descend upon the village to put their mouth where their money is and eat all manner of cuisine from the forests, farmland, and ocean waters of New Zealand.
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In the lead up to lent many German towns and cities celebrate their ‘5th season’ – or ‘foolish season’. Some historians say its original purpose was to help people get over the dark days of winter and welcome in springtime, others say it’s a feat before the fasting of lent. The festivals occur most commonly (but not exclusively) in the more Catholic South of Germany.
Typically festivities start the Thursday before Ash Wednesday and each town / city have their own unique traditions and ways of celebrating it – with different carnival chants / cries and costumes. One thing in common is that they all seem to have parades – some more children oriented, others with large floats, some wearing bells parading throughout the night. Costumes vary – in the black country region you’ll find witches and ‘Brothers Grimm’ fairytale type characters, town councillors, Vikings, white night gowns and caps and a common dressing up theme seems to be the fool in varying guises. In one town it is tradition for children to wear costumes stuffed with straw which they take out and stuff down other peoples shirts (for luck) as they walk round their parade. At some parades chocolates, sweets and flowers are thrown to the crowds.
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OK, we all know the Spaniards are a little off-centre when it comes to their festivals. I am sure you are aware of bull running (most famous on at Pamplona) and La Tomatina (perhaps the dirtiest food fight of them all). Well, here’s one that you might not have heard of before.
This one takes place in Ourense, which is in Galicia (North Wet Spain, bordering Portugal) in the run up to lent and lasts for about three weeks. However, the main action takes place in the 5 days preceding Lent when, you guessed it – the town becomes a blanket of white. Fortunately they tend not to go for the eyes – the perfect shot being anywhere between nose and chin – so keep your mouth firmly shut & I’d be tempted to wear swim goggles just in case!! Local etiquette dictates that men usually ‘attack women’ and visa versa. Know one quite knows why flour – perhaps its something to do with ash Wednesday?
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OK all you Hound Dogs, get out them Blue Suede Shoes, practice swivelling those hips, and head down to New South Wales on January 7th – 11th.
Each year the Parkes Elvis festival celebrates the birthday of the ‘King’. There are other Elvis festivals around the world in other locations (such as Porthcawl, Wales, and Collingwood) – more of these in later articles.
Thousands of Elvis – and I do mean thousands – impersonators gather for the occasion. With each costume vying to be more elaborate and outrageous than the rest, quiffs ‘glued’ in place…it’s a sight to behold!
Lip curling and hip swivelling is mandatory, as well as copying one of his best know phrases ‘Thank you very much’ said at the end of his shows.
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