Annual Wellow Maypole Day celebrated on bank holiday Monday

A village’s traditional celebration took place over the bank holiday, drawing crowds for a day of family fun.

Wellow’s annual Maypole Day has been a feature of the village’s calendar for over 100 years.

The event is centred around the village’s spectacular 17 metres high painted maypole and promises a day of spring fun for the whole family.

It was held on bank holiday Monday, May 27.

The crowning glory of the celebrations is the appointment of the new May Queen, which follows a procession from St. Swithin’s church to the village green.

Evie Hollingworth, the May Queen elect, was crowned this year, by retiring May Queen Charlotte Baugh, and followed in the footsteps of her sister Lucy, who was named May Queen in 2019.

The occasion was followed by a performance of intricate maypole dances by the village’s children.

Wellow Jack and his Bogies caused mischief in the crowds, and there was skills and thrills from the Extreme Mountain Bike Show, live music provided by singer-songwriter Ollie Hayes, and performances by Rattlejag Morris.

The day of fun was complete with a traditional Punch and Judy show, children’s swing boats, stalls, crafts and games, and well as tasty treats — including home-made cakes from the village’s renowned cake stall outside the village hall.