Folk Festivals and Holidays at the British Isles. Part 1

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Folk Festivals and Holidays of the British Isles

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Every country in the world has its own celebrations and festivals, its folk entertainments and traditional competitions. This film-strip shows you those of the British Isles. As we begin our school on the 1st of September first of all we’ll tell you about events that take place in autumn. Then you’ll learn about the festivals of other seasons.

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Some festivals are connected with the historical past of the country and its characters. Robin Hood is a national hero of England. In a little village in Staffordshire a very old dance in honour of him is performed every September. The dancers visit many farms and dance there. Dancing ends at midnight in the market-place with many people taking part in it.

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Halloween is a holiday for children and young people. It is celebrated in Scotland and Wales on the 31st of October. Halloween customs date back to a time when people believed in witches, ghosts, goblins…

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It is a time of fun. In the evening boys and girls dress up in different old clothes and wear masks. They take with them a lantern made from an empty pumpkin and scare witches, ghosts, goblins and elves away.

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Then the children go from house to house and knock on the door, calling “Trick or Treat”. This means that they will play no tricks on you if you treat them—ask them in and give them sweets, fruit, nuts and cakes.

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Highland Gatherings are rooted deep in the past when the Scottish chieftains (leaders of clans) tested the skill and strength of their clansmen. The Braemar Highland Gathering is one of the most well-known. It is held in September and attended by Scots and visitors from all over the world.

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Throwing the Hammer which has a long handle and weighs 10 kgs. The competitor sweeps it round his head and throws it as far as possible. Tossing of the Caber, a tree-trunk which athiet must carry before tossing it. The Caber is about 6 m long and weighs about 55 kgs. The finest athletes of Scotland come here to compete.

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For all events, except races, the kilt must be worn. Full highland dress includes a jacket, a kilt and a sporran or purse made of fur.

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Autumn fairs take place in all parts of the country. The first fair in Britain was organized in 1284 by the King Edward I. One of the oldest and largest of the autumn festivals is the Nottingham Goose Fair.

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It is not only for buying and selling. People come from miles around to enjoy its entertain-ments and take part in different games, competitions and races. Children enjoy old fashion merry-go-round with hand carved and highly coloured horses.

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At one of the fairs of Scotland the strange Burryman, a character of Scottish folk-lore, in his suit made of burrs (колючки) welcomes people on the eve of the fair. He collects money for charity (for poor people).

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London’s Pearly Kings and Queens in their pearl button clothes come to the Harvest Festival at Trafalgar Square. Autumn is harvest time. It is a period of thankfulness and is celebrated throughout Britain.

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The Civil War, one of the most romantic periods of English history, which ended with the execution of a King Charles I, is often shown by a society of students of military history. In different parts of Britain they perform the battles between the Army of Charles I and Cromwell creating a colourful era of English history.

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Every November a lot of old cars take part in the Veteran Car Run from London to Brighton. Each car must be at least 60 years old and it must not move faster than 20 miles per hour.

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WINTER

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Winter brings with it Christmas. It is celebrated on the 25th of December and is the most colourful and merry holiday of the year.

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They decorate their homes with holly, mistletoe and other evergreens. The holly wreaths, the most cheerful decorations, are hung outside the front doors.

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In Britain children are told that Santa Claus is a jolly plump little man with rosy cheeks and bright eyes who comes down every chimney and fills the stockings of children with presents.

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The Christmas tree, presented by Norway to Britain every year in memory of wartime comradeship during World War II, stands in Trafalgar Square. Carol singing by this illuminated tree is one of Christmas traditions.

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The traditional British entertainment at Christmas is the pantomime, a uniquely form of the theatrical show invented in the 19th century. It is performance based on fairy tales. Pantomimes are changing all the time. Every year someone has a new idea to make them more exciting or more up-to-date.

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Robert Burns who was born on the 25th of January is one of the best loved poets and his warm human spirit is celebrated at Burns Night parties that commemorate his birth. They consist of a ritual dinner eaten in the poet’s honour. The evening ends with speeches and with Scottish dances which go on far into the night.

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In Britain spring begins in February when the first flowers appear. On February 14 Valentine’s Day comes. It is not a national holiday. Banks and offices do not close, but It is a happy little festival, especially for children and young people. It is widely celebrated by the exchange of valentines – greeting cards or little presents.

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February the fourteenth day. It's Valentine they say. I choose you from among the rest, The reason is I love you best. I'll be your sweetheart, if you will be mine, All of my life I'll be your Valentine. The rose is red, the violet is blue, The lily is fair and so are you.

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On March 17 St. Patrick’s Day comes. It is a national and political holiday of the Irish people. On that day the Irish wear their national emblem—the little green shamrock—in their button holes or on their hats.

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The wearing of the "green", patriotic meetings, huge parades, musical and social events make this day a great event to the sons and daughters of Ireland.

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An unusual event which takes place in Northern Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day, the All Horse Plough Match is held for over 100 years. This simple event is greatly admired by those who enjoy the glorious sight of horse and ploughman as they perform one of the oldest skills in agriculture.

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The people of Great Britain are very fond of horses and horse races are very popular in the country.

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The horse racing season begins at the end of March. It seems that the whole of Britain comes to Derby, the most popular national race. It was organized by Lord Derby and was named in honour of him.

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The most popular sporting event of the British spring is the London Marathon, which attracts some 28,000 participants and several thousand more spectators. The run passes many of London’s historic places from the old times to the present day. The funny Bear adds more fun to the great race.

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In April a four-day festival is held in honour of William Shakespeare’s birthday. A procession of distinguished visitors from all over the world parades through Stratford-upon-Avon to pay tribute to the world’s greatest dramatist.

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Easter is celebrated in spring as a religious festival and as a start of spring when new life comes to the earth. It is time for giving and receiving presents which traditionally take the form of eggs, hot sweet buns, baby rabbits, chicks…

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Some traditions before Easter are connected with pancakes. One of them is Pancake Race for housewives at Olney. Every woman must run 415 yards (about 375 metres) tossing a pancake three times and not to drop it. The winning lady receives a kiss from the church bellringer.

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According to legend It began when a housewife’s cooking pancakes was interrupted by the sound of the church bell calling to the service. Anxious not to be late, the good lady ran out of her house with a frying pan in hand, and thus created a tradition which has continued for more than 500 years.

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Young people find new interesting ways of celebrating Easter as parades and pageantry.

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This Flower Festival takes place in Lincolnshire, the centre of flower industry and is devoted to spring flowers. All those funny birds and animals are made of flowers.

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In April clowns from all over the world come to the annual International Clowns Convention on the West Sussex coast. The most interesting events here are the Gala Show and a grand clown procession in which anyone is allowed to join if properly dressed in funny clothes.

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May Day is celebrated in every country on earth as a holiday of the working class. But there are also many ancient traditions in Great Britain to mark this day. Dancing round the Maypole is one of them.

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To elect a Queen of May among the most beautiful girls is a very popular custom in small towns and villages. The girl is crowned Queen of May and every local newspaper gives prominent place to her photograph.

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During May Day celebrations dances performed only by men take place in different parts of the country. The dancers wear colourful costumes and have rattles and small bells on their knees and shoes.

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One of the largest international art festivals takes place in May at Brighton. Street theatre is one of the attractions of Festival which attracts both amateur talent and professional artists from many countries.

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Every year in June the Robert Burns festival is held at Ayr. It includes a traditional Scottish gathering of people for songs and poetry. Such gatherings are often held in the open air.

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The Oyster Festival (a week in July) In a little fisher town Whitstable is a real folk-festival for the people, of the people, by the people. It came from ancient times when fishers and dredgers held an annual ceremony of thanksgiving, celebration of, and for, their work and trade.

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For three weeks in August the beautiful and romantic capital of Scotland becomes the City where the International Festival of Music and Drama is held. The most famous musicians, singers, dancers, actors of the whole world take part in it.

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The Festival program includes the march of Scottish Pipers along the streets of Edinburgh. They play their bagpipes — the musical instruments of Scottish invention.

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These young dancers are performing in front of St. Giles Cathedral just for people in the street.

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In the southern Orkney Island an unusual children ploughing match takes place every August. The girls are dressed in horse costumes, decorated with flowers, ribbons, feathers and anything else saved up over the years. The spectators decide which girl has the best costume. The boys have ploughs made of wood and metal which are family treasures and are preserved from generation to generation.

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The sandy part of land is divided into small plots which the boys plough. There are no fields in the Orkney island but, perhaps, that custom was brought to the island by some settlers hundreds years ago and the match shows respect for corn-grower’s labour.

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Summer is over. Soon the celebrations of autumn will begin again. Then winter will bring Christmas and New Year. And in spring another busy year of festivals and colourful events will fill the social calendar of Britain.

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The end