Hastings May Day Weekend - Jack in the Green Returns!

Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green isn't just about the impressive May Day bank holiday Monday morning procession (above, near the start in Rock-a-Nore Road), no, it is returning with much merrymaking, drinking, music and dancing from Friday the 29th of April evening, and over the weekend, and culminating with the Procession through Hastings old town on Monday the 2nd of May, an afternoon of entertainment up on the West Hill, and the Slaying of the Jack from 4pm. See the website for fuller details.

Also, the organiser of Bike1066 has retired, so there will be no official Bikers' event in Hastings on Monday (HBC), but Hastings Council is allotting dedicated motorbike parking in Pelham Place car park and at The Stade open space. I am assured by a friend that quite a few motorbikes will be turning up to Hastings over the weekend, particularly on Monday, since the event hasn't happened since 2019 (blog). Indeed, biker groups are now consulting one another about organising an event for next year.

Roll on!! 👌 

May Day 2021

Jack in the Green and May Day 2021 appear to not be occurring 'officially', as I said in a blog a couple of months ago, but we are being encouraged to dress up still, just no parade, fair enough! But there will still be stuff online (facebook), and who knows what else may happen... My contact has said that the Bike1066 event is definitely off too, but I have heard rumours that bikers are very likely to turn up and, if not the 30 or 40 thousand that often turn up, there is likely to be more than a few...

So we won't be seeing the famous Jack in the Green procession for a second year running, nor the biking event, but places are open, particularly outside, so whatever, enjoy May Day, whether you support the pagan traditions celebrating the return of Spring and/or International Workers' Day, comrades, or just want a drink! 😉

Please, though, do not forget we are still in a pandemic, so be safe people!

May Day's Off! Jack in the Green Online again, sadly...

Well, Jack in the Green is going online again this year (facebook), so, no coming together of merry people on the streets of Hastings to celebrate May Day for the second year running. This COVID-19 Crisis is really getting to me now, we haven't celebrated any day or any festival since the Fat Tuesday before last! I've checked to see if Bike1066 is still going ahead this year (cancelled last year, obviously, sadly), but nothing mentioned on their website yet, except from last year which says 'postponed until May Day 2021' (website), but don't hold your collective breath...

Oh yeh, remember the good old days when there was something going on every weekend, and I reported on it, well, nothing planned for yet another weekend. 😢

Stay safe folks!

Hastings Virtual Jack in the Green 2020 and Bike1066

You'll not be seeing this

Jack in the Green, eh?!? Thousands of visitors to Hastings for May Day every year (blog), people all dressed up and make-up applied, traditional parade, alcohol imbibed, music and dancing, what is there not to like? Well, first, the Government tried to ruin the day by cancelling the May Day public holiday, and moving it to the Friday to celebrate the end of WWII in Europe, rather than just have an extra public holiday in 2020; oh the irony of Government not wanting the British people to have an extra day off this year!

 You'll not be seeing this either

Then Mother Nature's turn, with a virus called Covid-19, a Coronavirus, apparently from the same group that also contains the 200 plus viruses that cause the Common Cold. Well, we've seen what's happened since then, the wettest month in recorded history, February 2020, followed by wall-to-wall sunshine, and we're not allowed to go out in it, except for certain reasons (Government website)! So, Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green has been cancelled, understandably, for 2020 (facebook).

Presumably only close family will see her

But what you may see is:

OK, maybe not Bob himself, but people adorning the outsides of their homes and businesses, because, Hastings folk (and anyone else, for that matter, you definitely do not have to be in Hastings for this one!), Jack in the Green is going virtual for 2020 (facebook), as in, going online, and personal! Hastings folk are being encouraged by the organizers, starting on the real May Day itself, Friday the 1st of May 2020, to "dress up, decorate your houses with greenery, and join in the virtual parade by sharing pictures, videos and messages, via your social media channels using the hashtag #HastingsVirtualJack2020 " 💖

Also, not seeing this on May Day

The annual Bike1066, which usually sees over 40,000 motorbikes come to Hastings every year has also been, postponed, as in to August, to not only celebrate 'Victory in Europe 1945' but also 'VJ Day.' All things being well, it is planned for thousands of motorbikes to visit Hastings on Saturday the 15th of August 2020 (website).

So, all is not lost, despite the machinations of Government and Mother Nature, Hastings is still going to Virtual Party! Ain't no stopping us now!! 😉

#HastingsVirtualJack2020 

May Day Photographs...

Following his release from Hastings Fishermen's Museum the Jack passes RX134, the Stacey Marie (facebook page) dancing down Rock-a-Nore Road.

Dancing with the Giants! 

The procession turns up All Saints Street 

Apparently there had been a serious accident on the A21 which prevented many from arriving early yesterday, but Bike1066 happened...

On The Stade 

Pelham Beach carpark 

Bike1066 Market in Town Centre

Hastings May Day 2019

2019, and yet another May Day, which means Jack in the Green, and this year the forecast is for fine weather, fingers crossed! For the first time, the Dolphin Inn will be open from 08.00 for breakfast, so I may well take advantage, many thanks! But back to the event... May 6th will again see the Jack released from Hastings Fishermen's Museum at 10.15, attendants, Bogies and Giants will gather around the Jack, and the procession will form behind him proceed along Rock-a-Nore Road, then turning up All Saints Street, crossing The Bourne at the top, and carrying on down High Street, where the procession pauses for refreshments (ale!), music and dancing (website).

About 12.00 noon the procession will continue on, turning right by St Clements Church and winding up Croft Road and Collier Road to the West Hill, arriving about 12.30. On the West Hill stage there will be more music, dancing, drumming and frivolities, and close by will be food stalls and refreshments, including more ale, a craft fair, and toilet facilities. After a couple of hours the Jack will be led by the Bogies to the stage and will be "symbolically slain and the Spirit of Summer is released for another year!"

The history behind the Jack in the Green May Day Festival goes back hundreds of years, but the local custom faded away towards the end of the 19th century. The custom was revived in Hastings by Mad Jacks Morris Dancers in 1983, and a 20th/21st century Jack in the Green custom and festival developed to the present day, when thousands turn up to dress and make up, or just to observe the procession, or just have a few ales, and yes, Hastings does like to dress up! 

But it's not just Jack in the Green to enjoy, as every year for 40 years now, Hastings also hosts Bike1066 and this will be the 41st May Day Run with the roar of engines beginning to herald the arrival of bikers along the seafront, and down London Road, Queens Road and Old London Road from well before 09.00. Bikers, motorcycle enthusiasts and the motorcycle trade and industry come together in Hastings, and the diversity of bikes year after year never ceases to amaze! (website)

Motorcycles take over the seafront from here below All Saints Street at Rock-a-Nore Road in front of the Stade, in Pelham Car Park, and all along to Hastings Pier. I've walked by the Town Hall in Queens Road and even seen numerous bikes parked there in previous years, and the town centre itself boasts many relevant motorbike, helmets and accessory stalls from quite early in the morning, as does Pelham Car Park by the beach, and the Stade Open Space, as I suggested earlier.

So, if you want to see motorbikes you can't miss them, but the larger number find their way to Pelham Car Park, by Pelham Beach and below Pelham Crescent (above), where thousands park up every year, last year being the 40th May Day Run, saw over 40,000 motorbikes come to Hastings! 

Of course though, there are many other places offering live music and entertainment, ales and wines, seafood in Rock-a-Nore Road (this area is by the centre of the Hastings Fishing Industry!), and other special culinary delights and refreshments, including at the Lifeboat Station from 10am to 4pm (facebook page). Just tour the area, as many pubs will have live music, and ale, and other refreshments of course. Please do enjoy Hastings May Day public holiday 2019, have fun!

Saturday in Hastings, Photographs & A Bit More!

Good morning! I'm actually starting off yesterday's images at where I last took a photograph, just before I entered the Cinque Ports Arms in All Saints Street, where Harveys Sussex Best Bitter and Fullers ESB were both enjoyed, cheers!

The Crown, All Saints Street

Earlier, in the town centre with the Isle of Man TT simulator situated just in front of Debenhams, see the Bike1066 website.

Then I wandered along the seafront to Hastings Pier, for which, as you will have seen in recent blogs (for example), there is a Friends of Hastings Pier campaign to raise money to keep the Pier in community ownership, I've pledged a contribution towards the Community Ownership Bid at Crowdfunding, if you have any money to pledge too, please do, the people of Hastings and visitors who love the Pier will be extremely grateful, many thanks!

Still on the Pier, which sees Hastings Pier hosting aPIERtite (website) over the 3 day holiday weekend, much too much going on to mention all of it here, but there's free admission, street food from all over the world on offer, an eclectic range of music (here the stage is being set up and decorated with greenery), and other entertainment, not to mention promenading on the award winning People's Pier! 

Pavilion Restaurant with Greenery

I then wandered eastwards and took this early doors photograph of the Bike1066 Breakout Zone (website) at the Stade Open Space.

The Wall of Death!

Oh yes, still too early to visit the pub, but plenty of interesting motorcycles turning up to whet your appetite for tomorrow (Monday) and the 40th Hastings May Day Run!