February – what is happening in the UK

On the 1st February, London celebrates the Chinese New Year in the Chinatown area, this year is the year of the Ox.  The day starts with a parade along the Strand, Charing Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue.  After the parade there is entertainment in Trafalgar Square during the afternoon followed by fireworks in the evening.

The JORVIK Viking Festival is taking place in York from 18th to 22nd February 2009.  This festival has been celebrated in York since 1985.  It is a place where hundreds of Vikings will meet and show off their battle-drills and training routines.

Each day is packed with activities to suit all ages, such as ghost hunting tour, a taste of sword fighting, try your hand at some Viking age crafts,  and many more activities. For more information on this festival please go to http://www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk/events3.htm

Courtesy of Jorvik Viking Centre

24th February 2009 is Shrove Tuesday which is also known a Pancake Day.  The day is celebrated with pancake races that are run all over the country.  Most races are run to raise money for charities nowadays.  The Pancake Race originates in Olney in Buckinghamshire although no-one quite knows how.  There are various stories as to how it came about the busy housewife, who rushed off to the church on hearing the bells, still holding her Frying pan with a pancake in it.  Another story is that pancakes were given to the Ringer as a bribe, to ring the bells early because the bells signaled the start of the day’s holiday before the long Lenten fast.

The race is still run in Olney to this day, like it has been for over five hundred years.  The course is run from the Market Place to the Church at 11.55am and immediately preceded by the Shriving service in the church.  Only housewives and young ladies of the town, who have lived in the town for at least 3 months and are over 18 years old are allowed to run in the race. They have to wear a skirt, apron and head covering, as was the traditional costume for a housewife and of course carry a frying pan with a pancake in it. 

In Ashbourne, Derbyshire the 24th and 25th February 2009 also heralds the Shrovetide Football.  This is one of the oldest, largest, maddest and longest football game there is.  The game is played by several thousand players over two days, eight hours each day with a hand painted ball filled with cork.  The goals are three miles apart so the competitors play through the town, across the field and in the local river.  It is quite a boisterous game and definitely not for the faint hearted.
Youtube of last years game

For more information http://www.ashbourne-town.com/events/football.html

In Scarborough, they also celebrate Shrove Tuesday with Shrovetide Skipping.  This is a time when adults can skip and play without feeling too childish.  This all happens on the foreshore in Scarborough, where everyone waits for the pancake bell to ring so that they can start skipping.

Also remember that on the 14th February is Valentines Day, a time for you to say that you love someone.

So have some fun this February!!

Gill Webster is the UK Editor for Wandering Educators