Gawthorpe Maypole Procession: 150th anniversary celebrations of historic annual tradition to take place as parade entries open

The 150th Maypole Procession and Feast will take place on May 4, starting at 2pm at Highfield School and culminating at Gawthorpe village at 5.30pm where Gawthorpe’s maypole dancers will perform “the world’s most complex and intricate plaiting sequences”, according to Experience Wakefield.

The procession will be lead by the May Queen, followed by a parade of colourful floats and a traditional brass band, and will travel through the streets of Gawthorpe and Ossett.

Families will also be able to visit Robinson’s funfair in the Maypole Field on Swithenbank Avenue.

According to the Gawthorpe Maypole website, maypole dancing can be traced in Gawthorpe to the reign of Henry VIII, and local school children have been taught the dances since 1906.

Today, children at Gawthorpe Academy are taught the traditional dances – which can take six months –which include “one of the most comprehensive plaiting sequences in the country. These are: Ropes, the Barber’s Pole, the Single Plait, the Double Plait, the Spider’s Web, the Gypsy’s Tent and the Centenary Polka.”

An entry form and information about classes, entry fees, and prizes can be found here. Entry to the celebrations are free, and the event is due to take place from 2pm to 6pm on Saturday May 4. Highfield School, where the start of the procession will be, can be found at Gawthorpe Lane, Ossett, West Yorkshire, WF5 9BS.