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.
| New Year’s Morning Wheelbarrow Race | 1st Jan |
| Two man teams race in wheelbarrows around the town in the morning in a tradition thought to date back to the 14th century. | Ponteland, Northumberland |
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| 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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| Bodmin Wassail | 5th Jan |
| Dressed in top hats, dickie bows, waistcoats and tails Bodmin’s wassailers visit homes, public houses and shops on the 12th day of Christmas. | Bodmin, Cornwall |
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| Apple Howling | 5th Jan |
| The proceedings begin at 6pm with a torchlight procession, followed by a noisy racket created by the crowd. | Bolney, West Sussex |
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| The Icicle Balloon Meet | 5th-6th Jan |
| Informal hot air balloon meeting – with on average around 100 balloonists. | Marlborough, Wilts |
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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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| The Burning of the Clavie | 11th Jan |
| 10 men will take turns to parade the burning clavie (a burning barrel) around the town in the evening. | Burghead, Scotland |
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| The Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival | 11th-13th Jan |
| A parade around the local villages by a man dressed as a straw bear. | Whittlesea, Cambs. |
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| Coleby Plough Jag | 12th Jan |
| 40th annual Plough/Mummers Play performed in the town centre with traditional fool and characters. | Gainsborough, Lincs |
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| Plough Tour | 12th 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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| Ramsey Straw Bear | 14th 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 | 14th Jan (?) |
| A modern revival of the Plough Monday by the local Moris Men. | Balsham, Cambs |
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| Goathland Plough Stots | 19th Jan |
| One of Yorkshires traditional long sword teams, if not the oldest still dancing their own dance as performed as far back as the early 19th century. | Goathand, Yorkshire |
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| Festival of Food, Drink and Rhubarb | 22nd-24th Jan |
| The festival celebrates the traditional links with rhubarb growing in Wakefield, while offering the finest and tastiest regional produce and showcasing the most talented local chefs. | Wakefield, Yorkshire |
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| Holly Holy Day | 26th Jan |
| For over 40 years the faithful troops of The Sealed Knot have gathered in the historic town of Nantwich, Cheshire to re-enact the bloody battle that took place almost 400 years ago and marked the end of the long and painful siege of the town. | Nantwich, Cheshire |
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| Aviemore Sled Dog Rally | 26th-27th Jan |
| Siberian Husky racing championships. | Aviemore, Cairngorms |
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| Katharine of Aragon Festival: Service of Commemoration | 29th Jan |
| This annual Commemorative Service features music by Tudor musicians Hautbois. The event will be attended by city dignitaries and local school children. | Peterborough, Cambs. |
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