Morris Dancing in The Streets at The Winchester MayFest

Butter Cross 1886
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On Friday 15th & Saturday 16th May 2009, Winchester celebrated traditional and contemporary music, dance and song in venues all around the city.

Many events featured Morris Dancing and took place in the High Street, the Square, on the Cathedral Green and inevitably in some of Winchester’s favourite watering holes including the Eclipse Inn.

The weather was a little unkind early on the Saturday for those of us playing music and dancing by the Butter Cross shown in this view of the High Street. Although the day remained windy, the sun did come out and in next to no time very large crowds gathered round to watch the displays of dancing. I went along with my piano accordian to help provide music for the Whitethorn Morris dancers from Harrow. The eight dancers looked spectacular in their scarlet and blue kit plus shiny black clogs. At the end of each dance done to a jaunty jig or pulsating polka tune there was a good round of applause from the onlookers. I really enjoyed the day spent at this festival.

Elsewhere there were concerts, ceilidhs and gigs in the Guildhall, the Discovery Centre, United Church and St Lawrence's Church. Altogether this was a well run event and a credit to the Winchester organisers.