Category: Dancing out

The first public appearance of the new season. We spent a very enjoyable day at the Oxford folk festival dancing with numerous other sides at sites around the city centre on Saturday.

A bright but brisk day genarally we were fortunate to be between spots whan a brief shower of hail forced us to shelter in the nearest pub.

SAM on a rooftop terrace with the fameous city skyline.

St Albans Morris started the summer season entertaining staff at Tesco HQ in Welwyn Garden City during their St George’s Day event. Harry the Hart took advantage of the gym facilities to get in shape for the coming months.

We were due to dance as guests of local Border Morris side Wicket Brood this evening. Sadly they informed us this afternoon that the pub has cancelled the event due to the anticipated poor weather conditions.

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.

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.

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.

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.

St Albans performing at the vibrant and well attended carnival. Blazingly hot and very hard to keep cool.

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.

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.