My 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 Morpeth Gathering | 1st-3rd April |
| The festival includes a vast array of competitions including crafts, performance and writing. The emphasis of the Gathering is firmly upon the native traditions of Northumberland | Morpeth, Northumbria |
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| Scotland’s Tartan Day | 6th April |
| Tartan Day marks the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320 at Arbroath Abbey. | Everywhere |
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| Sharrow Lantern Carnival | 10th April |
| Parade by local residents with lanterns made during the winter months. | Sheffield, Sth Yorkshire |
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| Hocktide Celebrations | 14th April |
| A medieval festival that still remains in Hungerford, with a parade around the town and the sitting of an ancient jury. | Hungerford, Berkshire |
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| Folk Weekend Oxford | 15th-17th April |
| Concerts, ceilidhs, morris, craft fair, workshops, sessions, family events & much more. | Oxford, Oxfordshire |
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| Heffle Cuckoo Fair | 16th April |
| Ancient and (almost) annual country fair, with the release of the cuckoos, morris dancers and traditional funfair. | Heathfield, Sussex |
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| Culloden Memorial Service | 16th April |
| Annual Culloden Memorial Service, run by the Gaelic Society of Inverness. Address by the Society Chief followed by prayers. | Culloden, Inverness |
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| Fritillary Sunday | 17th April |
| The one day of the year, when a field growing The Snake’s Head Fritillary is open to the public. The church is open and a fair is set up. |
Ducklington, Oxfordshire |
| Wray Scarecrow Festival | 23rd April |
| This years attractions will include the 10k road race, Car Boot Sale, Giant Scarecrow Parade, Vintage Market and Classic Car Show, Classic Bike Night, Ball Race, Fun Fair plus much more. | Wray, Lancashire |
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| Marsden Cuckoo Festival | 23rd April |
| Revival of an old custom, now a folk festival to mark the arrival of Spring, with a cuckoo parade and duck race. | Marsden, Yorkshire |
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| British Asparagus Festival | 23rd April |
| The official start of the UK’s eight-week asparagus season launches with the Great British Asparagus Run. It celebrates the first-cut round of asparagus with all the pomp and ceremony you’d expect on Saint George’s Day. | Vale of Evesham, Worcestershire |
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| UK Coach Rally | 23rd-24th April |
| Around 60 buses and coaches will parade around an 80-mile route on Saturday. Will be on display on Sunday. | Alton, Staffordshire |
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| Hastings Jack in the Green | 29th April-2nd May |
| A traditional May Day weekend festival, with parades through the town by the Green Man and Morris Dancers. | Hastings, Sussex |
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| Butser Beltain Festival and Wicker Man | 30th April |
| You can expect am afternoon/evening of entertainment and refreshments culminating with the burning of the giant Wicker Man at dusk. | Petersfield, Hampshire |
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| Camborne Trevithick Day | 30th April |
| The streets of Camborne will come alive with a spectacular day of free Steam, entertainment and much more. | Cambrone, Cornwall |
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| Urchfont Scarecrow Festival | 30th April – 2nd May |
| Each year 45–50 scarecrows are made by locals, and the laid out in a walking trail around the area. | Devizes, Wiltshire |
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| Rushden Cavalcade | 30th April – 2nd May |
| Huge display of steam road engines, vintage cars and a fete. | Rushden, Northants |
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| Sweeps Festival | 30th April – 2nd May |
| The 19th century chimney sweeps annual holiday – today a local fair. Highlights include Morris dancing, folk music, folk art stalls, produce fair. | Rochester, Kent |
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