Jack in the Green Festival

About

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

 

Friday 28 April

A Talk with Keith Leech (FREE)

7.30 - 9.30pm
Durbar Hall, Hastings Museum and Art Gallery
A talk on the origins of Jack in the Green.
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Pub Session

9.00 - 11.00pm
The Stag, All Saints Street, TN34 4BJ
​​​​​Start the weekend off with a music and song sesh.
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Saturday 29 April 

Dancing around the Old Town

From midday
 

Rattlebag Sing Around

2.00 - 3.00pm
The Stag, All Saints Street, TN34 4BJ
An afternoon with local 5-piece female harmony group.

The Big Ceilidh with Frog on a Bike

8.00 - 10.30pm
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
The much loved JITG celidh with music supplied by Frog on a Bike.

 

Sunday 30 April

​​​​​​Morris Dancers' Church Service

10.00 - 11.00am
St Clement's Church, Swan Terrace TN34 3ES
An annual service of celebration

Dancing at the Stade and around the Old Town

From midday

Concert with The Copper Family

4.00 - 5.00pm
St Clement's Church, Swan Terrace TN34 3ES

The Drum Off

4.30 - 5.30pm
​​​​​​Butler's Gap, TN34 3EE
Join Section 5 and Sambalanco for some noisy fun!
 

The Big Squeeze

7.30 - 9.30pm
The Albion, seafront, TN34 3EA
Session led by Squeeze box players Alan, Goose and Trooper
 

Concert with Lisa Knapp, St Clements Church

7.30 - 9.00pm
St Clement's Church, Swan Terrace TN34 3ES

 

Monday 1 May

Dancing at Dawn

4.45 - 5.45am
Near the West Hill Cafe, TN34 3RD
Help to dance the sun up!
 

Morris Dancers' Breakfast

6.30 - 9.00am
St Clement's Church, Swan Terrace TN34 3ES
 

Jack is Released! 

10.15 - 11.15am
The Fishermen's Museum
Jack is released to the awaiting crowd in an eruption of green!
 

The Procession

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.
 

Celebrations on the West Hill

From 12.30pm
An afternoon of live entertainment overlooking Hastings Old Town with vendors and stallholders.
 

Slaying of Jack

4.00 - 4.15pm
West Hill
Jack is slain and the spirit of summer is released!
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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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