Video: Weekend fun as Horsham hosts English Festival

Traditional dancing, classic cars and even a joust will be featured this weekend as part of the Horsham English Festival.
Horsham English FestivalHorsham English Festival
Horsham English Festival

The event combines Saturday’s long established Broadwood Day of Dance with a Sunday event that will bring together ‘many elements that are quintessentially English’, say organisers.

Kicking off the start of the festival tomorrow (Saturday May 12) will be the 26th annual Broadwood Morris Day of Dance - promising a riot of colour, music and dance and featuring around 25 dance sides, mostly from the local area.

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Starting with a procession at 10.30am, the dancers will then disperse throughout the town to perform a variety of dance traditions including Cotswold Morris, Step Clogging, Border Morris, Appalachian Clogging, North West Morris and more - plus drummers.

Horsham English FestivalHorsham English Festival
Horsham English Festival

Also featured will be a display of classic Morris cars in The Forum and children can have a go at circus skills.

At 3pm the day transforms into an ‘anyone can join in’, open air Barn Dance at the Bandstand in the Carfax. Everyone is invited to come along and join in the fun.

Sunday’s event will include folk music, McLaren and Aston Martin supercars, entertainments and food and drink.

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The Loxwood Joust will also be around on Sunday to demonstrate some of the treats in store for the summer event on August 4-5 and 11-12.

Throughout the day, outside Bills café and restaurant, the knights will provide displays of weaponry and combat and will also be available for photos.

In addition, a mediaeval blacksmith will be demonstrating the skills of his trade, The Dark Archer will be seeking out his mark and Horsham Hog Roast will be tempting visitors with its mouth-watering fayre to alleviate any ‘battle weary’ hunger pangs.

Our video shows some of the highlights from last year’s English Festival.

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