BB - News + Events

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Remember you can read about our earlier year's activities in our previous year's diaries here: 2022 2020-1 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001

2023 News:

We're looking forward to another great year, and delighted that our former musicians Jane and Karen are back with us again to help make up the mini BB wall of sound!

Meanwhile the year started with another appearance at the Kennet Ale in February, after which our first outdoors event was at the Wokingham May Fayre on 1st May with dance spots in Elms Field and Denmark Street.

We followed this with on Thurs 11th May with a splendid evening in Wokingham with Hurst Morris People, finishing at the Queens Head, before another appearance on Saturday 20th May at the Winchester Mayfest, where the sun finally emerged after a particularly gloomy May. We enjoyed various dance spots around the town and a brief spot in the atmospheric Great Hall before finishing at the slightly less atmospheric Brooks Shopping Centre.

After a chilly evening on our own at the Stag and Hounds, Binfield, on 1st June, we were off to Kirtlington Lamb Ale again on Sunday 4th June, accompanied by some proper summery weather. As usual there were a good variety of teams from near and far, and for BB it was  a bonus to have Rhys with us for the first time this year to bring a bit of added spring to our performances.

This was followed on Tuesday 6th June with an evening at the Plough, Little London, with Basingclog, one of a series of dance outs with more local teams which we were glad to have the opportunity of doing in 2023. Further excellent evenings then followed with Old Sepckled Hen on 15th June, Kennet Morris on 20th June, Tapeppas Tump on 29th June, and Yateley Morris on 11th July.

Saturday 22nd July saw us back in Windsor for a day of dance with Windsor and Chiltern Hundreds, though dancing was difficult on a day of occasional downpours. However it was no great hardship to be forced inside a brewery for the final spot of the day.

Next came the event we had spent much time, effort and angst preparing for - another week long appearance at the Sidmouth Folk Festival. And what a fabulous week it turned out to be, once the strong winds on the first Saturday had died down. It was a pleasure to dance with lots of other excellent teams, and there were numerous highlights throughout the week, but a midnight dance spot in Monday's LNE ceilidh with Whapweasel was especially memorable, with our routine of 1-6 (2 sets), Sword Dance and massed Fairies going down extremely well with an enthusiastic audience. Other highlights included excellent performances from Charles and Robert in Sunday's jig competition, well received routines in dance shows in Blackmore Gardens and Connaught Gardens, and our appearance as Pearly Kings and Queens in the royalty themed morris party evening on Wednesday hosted by Chinewrde. Apart from winning the best dressed team award, we performed our 'Where Did You Get That Hat' Cockney style dance (reprised in many guises over the years after first being developed for the 1994 Bunfight!). Thursday evening was also notable for an impromptu town tour to celebrate Rhys's forthcoming wedding, partly coinciding with a rapper tour happening at the same time. A few dances were performed and a few drinks were taken...
The week finished as always with a (flaming) torchlight procession along the Esplanade before dousing torches in the sea followed by the traditional firework display. An excellent week for the team, who acquitted themselves very creditably throughout.

On Sunday 27th August we had a day at the Towersey Festival, the first time we had been since it moved to its new location in the grounds of the Claydon Estate south of Buckingham. We had a great if somewhat strange day, starting with a workshop on grass outside a ceilidh tent with a ceilidh going on inside, followed by dancing with Belles of London City and Witchmen in the courtyard of Claydon House, not strictly a part of the festival. However it was a good setting for performing and we seemed to go down well with the audience.

The following Saturday was Wallingford Bunkfest - always a great event, with more colourful morris dancers around the town than you could shake a stick at, and nearly always good weather. We had an opening dance spot at The Dolphin, with subsequent spots in the Market Square and at the Wallingford and Cholsey Station. Our day finished with our own 'Bankfest' - a team plus guests picnic / afternoon tea on the banks of the Thames near Wallingford Bridge.

Meanwhile reports from earlier years are also available - 2022 2020-1 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001