1 Summer Solstice in Stonehenge
Every year, thousands of people gather near an ancient stone structure in Wiltshire to celebrate the summer solstice. When the sun rises above the horizon, its light gets inside the circle across the "Heel Stone" (entrance to the megalithic circle). Stonehenge is considered a sacred place for British pagan and druid communities. Visitors are usually not allowed to approach and touch the stones, but an exception is made to celebrate the solstice. It is not known how, when and why this ancient monument was built. Nevertheless, there are many theories, most of which are just fantastic.
2 Festival of Burning Barrels Friendly Saint Mary
Every year on November 5, the quiet streets of the town of Father Sater Mary in British Devon are illuminated by the flickering light of flaming barrels with a resin. Men and women walk along the streets scored celebrating, carrying these fiery barrels above their heads. Each barrel weighs up to 30 kilograms, and to carry it, you need thick gloves (because it is quite hot), and a considerable share of courage. Although this festival is celebrated for many generations, its origins are unclear. Some believe that he has references to the famous powder conspiracy of 1605, while others believe that this is a pre-Christian pagan ritual designed to expand evil spirits.
3 Wheatlsi Straw Bear Festival
In the small town of Wheatssi in the east of England, the harvest feast is particularly unusually celebrated. Famous as a "straw bear", a man, a straw from his head to the legs, walks through the streets of the town, accompanied by the musicians headed by the "keeper" or "warmed". This "bear" dances in front of the houses and hotels, and in return people give him food, money or beer. The event was canceled in 1909, when the local police inspector banned him, having counted the festival of some form of begging. However, the custom was revived in 1980 by the Society of the Straw Bear, and now the festival is held in the second weekend of January.
4 World Egg Championship
The legend states that the tradition of throwing eggs in the English village of Sudon arose in the XIV century. Trying to increase the number of parishioners in the church, the Abbot began to distribute free eggs to everyone who visited Sunday service. In 1322, the river was so much so that he cut off the way to local residents to the church. After that, the monks began to throw eggs across the river, and the tradition was born. The first championship of the world of eating eggs took place in 2005 at the Swaton Vintage Day festival, and the main prize won a team from New Zealand. Commands of two people compete in who can reject the egg on without breaking it. As an additional competition, there is a "Russian Roulette", in which rivals in turn split the eggs on their own heads. It is issued for 6 eggs, of which 5 boiled and 1 raw. A participant who crashes a raw egg about his head, loses.
5 incineration of watch
In the seaside city of Brighton celebrate the shortest day of the year of the Festival of the "burning" clock. Thousands of people overlook the streets to see the procession of celebrating with homemade Chinese lanterns in the form of hours. Coming around the city, people solemnly burn the lanterns on the city beach. The event organizers explain: "The incineration of hours is to counter the excesses of commercialized christmas. People gather together to make lights from paper and ventibly branches, carry them around the city and burn on the beach in the end of the year. "
6 dance horns bromley born
First fulfilled in 1226, the dance of Bromley's abbey boring horns is one of the oldest preserved traditions of Britain. Going around the city, dancing along the way, six men, whose heads are decorated with deer horns, two musicians, a man, disguised into a woman (Mastern Marian), an archer and a jester, who hits anyone who is suited too close to the procession. The reasons for this strange event were lost in the ancient past. Some believe that such a dance came up with to mark the opening of the hunt season and ensure a successful year. Others believe that this is due to the ancient rituals of fertility. One thing you can say for sure: this ancient tradition is completely strange.
7 Moldon Mud Race
The mud race in Moldone is held annually on the Blackwater River in Essex. During the low tide, the competing runs are running on incredibly or set rivers to a certain point and back. At the same time, their shoes are reliably fixed on the legs, because in the dirt it is very easy to lose it. An unusual event arose in 1973, when the owner of the Queens Head pub came up to serve food on the banks of the river, dressed in a tuxedo. Next year, a bar was opened on the banks of the river. About 20 people began to compete, who the first will move across the river, drinks the pint of beer and return.
8 OSS
Perhaps the oldest dance festival in the UK, "Obsc" is celebrated every year on May 1 in the Cornish fishing village of Padstow. This ancient Celtic festival begins with the fact that two parades from dancers and musicians, accompanying men dancers dressed in costumes of horses, marching through the city. After the processions go through the city, their participants are trying to catch young girls and drag them under the capes-costumes of horses. It is believed that those girls whom will be caught, good luck (next year they will marry or know the child).
9 Wash World Cup
Founded in Staffordshire in 1976, the World Washing Championships are now held annually in the Bentley Brook Inn establishment (near the village of Fenny Bentley). The rules are similar to ordinary armsresses, but they are competing not in their hands, but on the legs. Participants pairly bind the foot of the right legs with each other and try to lay the enemy's foot on the table.
10 khaxi temper
The first time spent in the XIV century, Khaxi Hood is celebrated on the 12th day of Christmas every year. Four Paba Cities of Khaxi compete for which leather hood ("Hood"), in which he will remain until next year. The legend says that in the XIV century the wife of the local Landlord of John de Moumubray was very upset when the SS hood was taken by the wind. She was so surprised that the peasants from the local 13 farms, drowning in the mud, chasing the hood in the fields and brought it to her that he gave them 13 hectares of the Earth, provided that such a chase would be held every year. The game begins with the fact that "Hood" throw into the air and for him on his knee in the dirt converge in the fight to 200 people. The rules are simple - the hood can not be thrown to the ground, move away to another person or run away with him. It must be conveyed to one of the local pubs. The game ends when the master of the pub stands up to the hood, standing in front of his institution. After that, all participants in the festival are abundant with alcohol.