Fylde Folklore Society’s first May Day celebration honoured tradition and brought the community together in the most uplifting way. Elizabeth Gomm shares her photos from the event.
Yesterday saw May brought in style, with a festival bursting with colour, music and centuries-old tradition as the Fylde Folklore Society hosted its first May Day folk festival.
Staining Village Hall was packed throughout the day as families and visitors gathered to celebrate the arrival of May in true folkloric style. The sleepy village hall was filled with music, laughter and the rhythmic sounds of dancing feet as performers and guests embraced the spirit of the season.
A centrepiece of the festival was the traditional maypole dancing, with the community joining in to weave bright ribbons in a joyful display of togetherness. The maypole was donated to the society by member Sue, who once led the Fylde Coast Cloggers, along with her late husband who was their Jester.
The pole came to Sue in 1981 and before that it belonged to a long closed school. The programme also featured performances from morris and clog dancers, alongside folk music that echoed England’s rich cultural heritage and entertainment.
Beyond the celebration itself, the event also had a strong community focus, raising funds for two important causes. An impressive £545 was collected for Blackpool Food Bank and the RNLI.
If you would like to know more about Fylde Folklore Society, join the Facebook Group here.
