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Bampton Day of Dance

  • All around the village Bampton OX18 2JH (map)

A day of dancing through the village - an annual celebration of Morris Dancing in a tradition dating back 500 years.

Bampton has three world-renowned Morris Dance teams. On the Monday of the Spring Bank Holiday, the teams start the dancing at around 08.30, and continue through the day at various locations in the village – including outside the pubs. The programme for the day’s events can be obtained in or around The Market Square. In the evening, visiting teams join in the dancing, and ‘make merry’. And do try the ‘fertility cake’, which is carried around the streets with the dancers.

Morris dancing typically involves six dancers, in a performance formation of two lines of three, plus various ancillary characters such as fool and cake/sword bearer.

The pubs are open all day and there are usually great music sessions in the evening.