August 15th – Croydon night of dance

An away evening. CNoD revived after the hiatus of Covid and generally for local teams, St Albans are very much visitors, taking advantage of a fast Thameslink service and the events proximity to East Croydon station. A great informal evening and a chance to catch up with old friends.

July 5th – St Michaels St folk evening

Another fine evening for one of the highlights of the year. The St Michaels St folk evening.

Part of the St Albans festival this event has always pulled a crowd. For two hours the road is closed and Morris sides perform in the street while bands perform at the church and in pubs and school playgrounds.

Currently more accurately it is ‘pub’ singular. Since the event’s inception we have lost the Black Lion and Blue Anchor and the Rose and Crown is closed, possibly never to return. Fortunately pop up bars have taken up some of the load.

This year it was well covered in the local press. Including the surpise appearance of ‘Harry the Hart’, the St Albans Morris animal. Harry is part of the tradition of Morris and a long standing member of the side. In recent years he has been a rarly seen visitor.

June 19th – The Woodman

A very pleasant evening meeting up with our old friends Etcetra Morris, from Enfield. The Woodman at Wild Hill is roughly a halfway house for both of us. This little gem of a pub seems very rural despite being betwixt Hatfield and Potters Bar.

June 17th – St Albans Festival day

A day dancing in the city with Morris sides invited from the surrounding area. Organised as usual by Trevor (a St Albans Morris member).

Starting with a massed show outside the Arena then spitting up and dancing at spots around the City and culminating in another massed show outside the Wst Door of the Abbey.

June 5th – The Portland Arms

Another back street St Albans Pub. Where the car park is now rather more beer garden since Covid. Dancing for some old friends. Chips AND Chocolate on offer from our host, Caz. More dancing to try and use some of those calories.

June 3rd – Thaxted

Just about every year since 1927 Thaxted Morris Men have organised a weekend of dance. St Albans attended for the day, touring the villages around Thaxted by coach with some of the other sides before a procession and massed display in Thaxted.

On tour with Baldock Midnight Morris
The massed show

May 29th – Farriers Arms & The Boot

A beautiful evening. First to the Farriers Arms, a back street pub with zero outside space, the pub where CAMRA was conceived. Fortunately its on the Corner of College Place, a Cul-de-Sac, where we danced for the residents and an online grocery delivery driver!

Then a short walk to the Boot and dancing in front of the Clock Tower.

May 14th – Mill Green, Hatfield

The day after our performance in Kings Road and the weather has taken a remarkable turn, sun hats rather than warm coats between dances
Blazing sunshine at the Mill open day, in addition to the working mill, local groups set up in the surrounding grounds. In place of a pub, the tea room, to quench our thirst.

May 13th – Kings Road Memorial dedication

Kings Road St Albans held a cermony to mark the dedication of a new memorial to those former residents of the street who were killed in the First World War. The street memorial joins others in St Albans installed within the Abbey parish following the war. Kings Road, just outside the Abbey Parish boundary, had no memeorial to the 15 who lost their life. The current residents banded together to commission a contemporary installation mimicking the brick wall it is mounted on.

The dedication was followed by a street party, where despite unseasonably cool weather, food, drinks and entertainment by the residents was the order of the day. St Albans Morris joined in the entertainment with two spots, including the opportinity for the audience to join in, have fun, and warm up.