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.
| The Original English Olympicks | 1st June |
| The 400th anniversary celebrations of what are now often called the Cotswold Olimpicks, a team of volunteers has organised a fun packed family day of races, games, music and entertainment | Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire |
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| Overlord 2012 | 1st-4th June |
| The show will continue to retain its 4 day format Friday through to Monday, with over 350 vehicles, 100 trade stalls, 500 re-enactors and an extended living history field. | Waterlooville, Hants |
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| The Hunting of the Earl of Rone | 1st-4th June |
| Over the four days of the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, the Grenadiers, Hobby Horse, Fool and villagers hunt through the village for the ‘Earl of Rone’, and when caught he is paraded through the villages. | Shammickite, Devon |
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| Hamstreet Country Show | 2nd-3rd June |
| Country fete with local displays and entertainments, including lawnmower racing and medieval combat. | Ashford, Kent |
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| National Trailboat Festival | 2nd-4th June |
| A festival of canal boats that will also mark the 40th anniversary of the Cotswold Canal Trust. | Stroud, Gloucestershire |
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| Border City Steam Fair | 2nd-4th June |
| Local fair with steam vehicles, vintage cars, a funfair and evening music. | Carlisle, Cumbria |
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| Crick Boat Show | 2nd-5th June |
| Large boat show with associated fair and trade stalls. | Crick, Northants |
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| Festival of Country Life | 3rd-4th June |
| Exhibits on display will include vintage tractors, agricultural implements, stationary engines, period caravans, organs, steam engines, working exhibits, classic cars and motorcycles. | Lamport, Northamptonshire |
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| Muncaster Festival of Fools | 3rd-7th June |
| Town funfair that culminates the International Jesters Tournament when the Fool of Muncaster 2012 will be crowned by last year’s winners. | Muncaster, Cumbria |
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| Whitehill Bordon Soap Box Derby | 4th June |
| Handmade cart racing through the town – all human/gravity powered. | Whitehall, Hampshire |
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| Soham Carnival and Heavy Horse Show | 4th June |
| Annual horse show along with country fair entertainments. | Soham, Cambs |
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| Tetbury Woolsack Races | 4th June |
| The races have no greater aim than for individuals and teams to demonstrate their strength and fitness by racing whilst carrying a sack of wool – up and down a hill that reaches a gradient of 1 in 4. | Tetbury, Gloucestershire |
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| Kite Festival | 4th-5th June |
| The Kite Festival will showcase Kites from the four corners of the globe. | Bedford, Bedfordshire |
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| The Pickering 60s Festival | 7th-9th June |
| The main attraction is live sixties music from both headline and local bands. Other activities include a parade of classic sixties vehicles, fancy dress, period hairstyling, memorabilia stalls, etc | Pickering, North Yorkshire |
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| The South of England Show | 7th-9th June |
| Huge agricultural and country fair. | Ardingly, West Sussex |
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| Hawick Common-Riding | 8th-9th June |
| The first of the Border festivals and celebrates both the capture of an English Flag in 1514 by the youth of Hawick and the ancient custom of riding the marches or boundaries of the common land. | Hawick, Scottish Borders |
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| Ilfracombe Victorian Celebration | 9th-17th June |
| Many townspeople don Victorian costume for the week, while a full programme of activities is hosted from parades to concerts and shows. | Ilfracombe, Nth Devon |
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| The Great Knaresborough Bed Race | 9th June |
| Bed shaped floats are paraded through the town before being raced for the trophy. | Knaresborough, Yorkshire |
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| Evesham Balloon Festival | 9th-10th June |
| More than 20 balloons will ascend from Crown Meadow adjacent to Evesham’s riverside on the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, with early morning and evening flights. | Evesham, Worcestershire |
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| Welsh Game Fair | 16th-17th June |
| The Fair established since 1986 is considered the pinnacle of the sporting calendar in the Principality, attracting thousands of visitors including working dog enthusiasts, anglers, clay-pigeon shooters, and all those that love the countryside. | Carmarthen, Wales |
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| Appleton Thorn Bawming Day | 16th June |
| The only village in England where the ‘Bawming of the Thorn’ ceremony takes place in June each year. Bawming, which means, “decorating the tree with flowers and ribbons”, takes place each year, whilst local children dance and sing the Bawming song. | Appleton Thorn, Cheshire |
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| Ovingham Goose Fair | 16th June |
| A village fair that was restored following Victorian abeyance. Usually involves a parade through the town followed by a fair. | Ovingham, Northumberland |
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| Election of the Mayor of Ock Street | 16th June |
| The Mayor of Ock Street is elected each year by the esidents of Ock Street and the streets which depend on it. | Abingdon, Oxon |
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| Merlin Pageant | 16th June |
| This years event celebrates Merlin Flying Club being sited on the airfield for 50 years. | Nottingham |
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| Wellesbourne & Shakespear Raft Race | 17th June |
| Races down the river by local groups on oar powered rafts | Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire |
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| Heavy Horse Show | 17th June |
| Several breeds of heavy horses, craft stalls, working dogs and vintage tractors. The Lilleshall steam driven pumping engine will be in steam. |
Langford, Essex |
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| The 32nd World Worm Charming Championships | 23rd June |
| Annual competition held in a local school playing field where teams compete to draw as many worms out of the ground as possible. | Nantwich, Cheshire |
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| The Cornish Midsummer Eve Bonfire Celebrations | 23rd June |
| Each year on the 23rd of June, a number of Old Cornwall Societies hold midsummer bonfire celebrations. | Cornwall |
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| Chester’s Midsummer Watch Parade | 23rd-24th June |
| Chester’s Midsummer Watch is one of Britain’s oldest festivals – a tradition reflecting 500 years of the city’s history. | Chester, Cheshire |
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| Olney Duck & Raft Race | 24th June |
| Hundreds of plastic ducks ‘race’ down the River Ouse, followed by locals who assemble a raft and then must paddle it along the river as it meanders around the town. | Olney, Bucks |
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| Warcop Rushbearing | 29th June |
| Ancient tradition to cover the floor of the local church in rushes in memory of when they were earthen instead of stone floors. | Warcop, Cumbria |
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