May Day

On the first of May every year, Folksoc rises from its giant bed uncomfortably early to host a celebration of that most wonderful and underappreciated tradition - May Day. To the sound of the concertina, the singing of our choir and the clashing of sticks from our morris team, we gather on Prebends Bridge at five in the morning to say a big collective "welcome" to the summer by dancing, singing and - for the dedicated few - leaping into the rather bracing Wear.

The morris team performs many dances for us to sit back and watch, but they also do a couple for everyone to join in with. The choir sings a few May Day songs, and the barbeque is lit for a hearty burger breakfast. In such a peaceful and beautiful setting, this is a marvellous way to celebrate the end of the long, cold, grey, wet, miserable Durham winter and the dawn of the warm and colourful summer!

If it sounds a bit early for you, remember - it's only once a year!

Previous Years' Antics