Whitethorn Morris Dance At St Albans "Folk At The Festival"

A Memory of St Albans.

One of the highlights of the Festival is the Festival parade and Day of Dance which traditionally takes place on the Saturday of each year's Festival.

The procession was led through the City Centre by the Abbey puppets and traditional local morris dancers, plus Trachtengruppe Kussnacht from Rigi, Switzerland. The climax of the parade was a massed display of dancing in the High Street watched by thousands and thousands of city centre spectators and market stallholders.

The dancing continued all day in front of the Alban Arena, in the Maltings and Christopher Place shopping centres, outside the Abbey and - as shpwn in this view -by the Clock Tower and Market Cross. The local police had thoughtfully closed off the streets so that the crowds of festival goers could walk safely in the roads!

One of the teams of dancers was locally based Whitethorn Morris from Harrow who looked splendid in their scarlet and blue kit, shiny black clogs and energetic dancing to their large band of accordians and drums.

Leter in the day all the dancers performed at one of St Albans oldest inns -Ye Olde Fighting Cocks.