My now regular look ahead to events happening next month that would probably be in my events guide, if only they weren’t happening outside the psychological barrier of the M25 motorway.
| New Year’s Day Bath Race | 1st Jan |
| The Pirates of Poole take to the water in a variety of unusual craft for the annual New Year’s Day Bath Race. | Poole, Dorset |
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| The Haxey Hood | 6th Jan |
| Every year, villagers in Westwoodside and Haxey dress up to compete for possession of ‘the Hood’. This 700-year tradition started when Lady de Mowbray was out riding and a sudden gust of wind blew her hat off. | Haxey, Nth Lincolnshire |
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| Apple Howling | 7th Jan |
| The proceedings begin at 6pm with a torchlight procession, followed by a noisy racket created by the crowd. | Bolney, Sussex |
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| Plough Tour | 7th Jan |
| Ancient local custom of Plough Bullocks parading their decorated plough through the Leicestershire villages accompanied by Molly Dancers. | Sharnford, Leicestershire |
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| The Icicle Balloon Meet | 7th-8th Jan |
| Informal hot air balloon meeting – with on average around 100 balloonists. | Marlborough, Wilts |
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| Blessing of the Seas | 8th Jan |
| The 48th Blessing of the Seas ceremony in Margate, carried out by the local Greek Orthodox Church | Margate, Kent |
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| Ramsey Straw Bear | 9th Jan |
| In a small area of the Huntingdonshire Fens, from Ramsey to Whittlesey, a straw bear is lead through the streets on Plough Monday. | Ramsey, Cambridgeshire |
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| Balsham Ploughmen | 9th Jan |
| A modern revival of the Plough Monday by the local Moris Men. | Balsham, Cambridgeshire |
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| Plough Monday in Northwold | 9th Jan |
| An evening plough procession with molly dancing from The Ouse Washes Molly Dancers, The Norwich Kitwitches, St Andrew’s Mummers and Kings Morris. | Northwold, Norfolk |
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| The Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival | 13th-15th Jan |
| A parade around the local villages by a man dressed as a straw bear. | Whittlesea, Cambs. |
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| Hunters Moon Wassail | 15th Jan |
| Morris dancing and drummers, Torch-lit procession bonfire and Traditional Wassailing of the apple trees, Mummers Play, Barn Dances. | Lewes, East Sussex |
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| Aviemore Sled Dog Rally | 21st-22nd Jan |
| Siberian Husky racing championships. | Aviemore, Cairngorms |
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