Hastings Virtual Jack and May Day!

Happy May Day 2020! Well, as we are all already well aware, the usual festivities in Hastings aren't going ahead this year, but, as I said in a blog last week, Hastings Virtual Jack 2020 has been organised by Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green (facebook page), and has 'kicked off' today! This morning, on my way home from my (Government approved) daily exercise in Hastings Country Park, appropriate decorations are already in abundance, noticeably in All Saints Street (just a small sample of shown above, and following, but there's much more).

Indeed, even on my way back, walking along Barley Lane before entering the Old Town, I noticed the flag below, not a great image, sorry, it was a wee bit damp...

And, after walking down All Saints Street, and crossing over The Bourne, the front, and back, of The Jolly Fisherman were both adorned appropriately for the occasion (images below), nice one Becky and Oliver!

I love the back of the pub, around in East Street (below), and particularly its wee door, it makes even me feel tall! Again, great decorations, and another flag too. 

And, opposite the rear of The Jolly Fisherman in East Street there are many more decorations, but I particularly liked the relevant collection below...

Nice one Hastings, always ensuring we party even if not allowed to do so overtly 😉 but certainly ensuring we don't forget Jack in the Green this year, and with the promise of more to come over the weekend... Check with the facebook page for the virtual events, or just look about you at beautiful Hastings and the May Day decorations.

Happy May Day to you all!

#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!

Weekend Jack in the Green!

I wandered into the old town this morning to take some early photographs, which I shall embellish appropriately; yesterday (blog) I mentioned Jack in the Green events today (Saturday), so this blog will mention events tomorrow (Sunday 5th). I took photographs from the Albion, the first pub I found with greenery as I arrived from the west...

So, events tomorrow (website) include the Morris Dancers Church Service at St Clement's (above) from 10.00am, followed by dancing outside at 11.00am, and later, music there with The Copper Family at 4.00pm; doors open at 3.30pm, tickets £8.

Jenny Lind

Greenery in the High Street too... but meanwhile, down at the Stade Open Space tomorrow, a (Morris) Dance Spectacular begins at 12.00 noon...

 Stag Inn

Greenery up at the top of All Saints Street too; meanwhile, down at Butler's Gap at 4.00pm The Drum-Off, when 2 local drumming groups, Sambalanco and Section 5, march and bang their way from each end of the old town to go head to head!

And even greenery (and colours!) at cute local cottages... Oh yes, the programme, from 7.30pm, upstairs in the Cinque Ports Arms, further up All Saints Street from this image, with more traditional music with The Big Squeeze...

And the furthest pub  to the east with greenery, the Dolphin Inn in Rock-a-Nore Road (above)... Though the final event of the day tomorrow is another Ceilidh at St Mary in the Castle from 8.00pm; tickets £12 adults, £5 children, £25 families. 

Greenery even up on the West Hill at the Plough Inn (photograph from Jamie's facebook page, many thanks!), opposite where the Jack in the Green procession on Monday finishes, and I believe  there will be a barbecue there on Monday too...

Plenty to enjoy, and even more on Monday!!

It's that time of year again...

I was reminded, not that I needed reminding, that we are fast approaching the May Day public holiday, by this representation of the Jack, or Green Man, hanging in the Jolly Fisherman, Hastings first micropub (blog). Of course you'll be reading more about this over the next week, and not just here, but a wee reminder that Hastings Jack in the Green festival runs from this Friday 3rd May to Monday 6th May 2019, when the climatic procession is held (website).

May Day 2017

OK, mostly about the bikes this year, the weather didn't help 😉

Early doors...

The calm before the storm, entering Rock-a-Nore Road...

Started drinking by 09.00, and some made that plain! 😕

Retreading my steps towards the West...

Bikes, eh?!?

May Day and Jack in the Green

Refreshments will be served all day at the RNLI Hastings Lifeboat Station. Pop in there and enjoy a cuppa and a cake, see the lifeboats and browse around their well stocked shop! 

May Day fun may also be had at the People's Pier of the Year, including plenty of food and beverage outlets available, and music, motorbikes and scooters from the 1960s! See their website for more details, and details of all events on Hastings Pier. 

Of course, the Pier isn't the only place to see motorbikes this May Day, but thousands will be coming into Hastings, notably to the Pelham Beach car park, which is always closed to other road users on this one day of the year. The arrival of motorbikes is heralded quite early in the morning, when they can be heard coming into town down Queens Road, down both London roads and along the beach road too; another reason to welcome May Day!

OK, to May Day, indeed, and this is May the 1st for a change, and to the Jack in the Green procession, and all that surrounds the event... The Jack will be released from the Fishermen's Museum in Rock-a-Nore Road at 10.15am, according to the programmme, and the procession goes on from there, I'll be in the Dolphin Inn from 9am, because I can be, and I shall bring my own tankard, and, if you don't want to drink out of a plastic beaker, bring your own drinking vessels too! Much more happens before, during, and after, when it arrives at the top of the West Hill, and the Jack is slayed, not far from the bar on the hill! For more details of what else does happen, go to the website.

Enjoy the day, and I should too, cheers! 😉

Lots happened already, getting ready!

Bunting up on the West Hill

Notice of road closure on Monday, it happens every year, what the heck!

Bunting at The Stag

Bunting at the Cinque Ports

Giant passing the Cinque Ports, life in Hastings... 😉

The Crown in All Saints Street, bunting, and a famous, now local, celebrity (actress) sitting outside, clue: roles include copper and forensic professor...

Bunting & people: the Dolphin Inn

Bunting in East Street

Bunting in George Street

I had to add an image, OK, Morris Dancers!