This year Hastings' traditional Jack in the Green celebrates its 40th anniversary with four glorious days of festivities around the May Day weekend. Since its revival in the 1980s the festival has become synonymous with the town of Hastings and is now one of its largest and most colourful events.
Over the long weekend there will be morris dancing around the town, a traditional ceilidh and the sunrise ceremony to welcome in the dawn of summer on Monday 1 May. Bank holiday Monday is the big one and a wave of green washes over the town. A grand procession leads the giant foliage-covered Jack through the Old Town and up to the West Hill, where he is eventually 'slain' and the spirit of summer is released!
Don't forget to share your celebrations with #hastingsjack40
7.30 - 9.30pm
Durbar Hall, Hastings Museum and Art Gallery
A talk on the origins of Jack in the Green.
9.00 - 11.00pm
The Stag, All Saints Street, TN34 4BJ
Start the weekend off with a music and song sesh.
From midday
2.00 - 3.00pm
The Stag, All Saints Street, TN34 4BJ
An afternoon with local 5-piece female harmony group.
8.00 - 10.30pm
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
The much loved JITG celidh with music supplied by Frog on a Bike.
10.00 - 11.00am
St Clement's Church, Swan Terrace TN34 3ES
An annual service of celebration
From midday
4.00 - 5.00pm
St Clement's Church, Swan Terrace TN34 3ES
4.30 - 5.30pm
Butler's Gap, TN34 3EE
Join Section 5 and Sambalanco for some noisy fun!
7.30 - 9.30pm
The Albion, seafront, TN34 3EA
Session led by Squeeze box players Alan, Goose and Trooper
7.30 - 9.00pm
St Clement's Church, Swan Terrace TN34 3ES
4.45 - 5.45am
Near the West Hill Cafe, TN34 3RD
Help to dance the sun up!
6.30 - 9.00am
St Clement's Church, Swan Terrace TN34 3ES
10.15 - 11.15am
The Fishermen's Museum
Jack is released to the awaiting crowd in an eruption of green!
10.20am-12.25pm
From The Fishermen's Museum through the Old Town and up to the West Hill.
Includes a pause in the High Street at 11.30am.
From 12.30pm
An afternoon of live entertainment overlooking Hastings Old Town with vendors and stallholders.
4.00 - 4.15pm
West Hill
Jack is slain and the spirit of summer is released!
Hastings Jack in the Green is a hugely popular event so please make travel arrangements accordingly. Please check in advance for any dirsuptions to your train journeys and consider travelling via Ashford Int'l or London Victoria (via Eastbourne). The Grand Procession coincides with the Hastings May Day motorbike run and therefore local roads and the A21 can get congested and car parking around the town is limited.
Better still, make a long weekend of it and book your stay in 1066 Country.
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