October in Particular

Early October

National Poetry Day

Nottingham Goose Fair - Over 700 years old, this fair always lasts three days from noon on first Thursday in October. Once a livestock market and now Europe's largest travelling fair, with traditional and new fairground rides. The fair is officially opened by the mayor ringing a pair of silver bells after the proclamation has been read in the presence of Nottingham civic dignitaries. Contact Nottingham TIC +44(0)115 915 5330 or look at the Goose Fair web-site for up-to-date information. You can also celebrate Dusshera Mela in Nottingham during October.

Quince Day, Norton Priory, Runcorn, Cheshire. Afternoon of activities and a guided walk through the quince collection. Cheshire Landscape Trust +44(0)1244 376333.

Hull Fair is held in early October. See their web-site for information.

Ploughing with Heavy Horses "When cart horses were the power on the land, local ploughing matches would be held for horsemen to compete for the title of champion ploughman. In East Anglia, the traditional first prize was a copper kettle. Ransomes of Ipswich, who manufactured horse drawn implements, would normally recruit a skilled champion ploughman to travel the country with their Suffolk Punch horses and demonstrate their products at agricultural shows - an early form of marketing. The Suffolk Punch horse, the oldest breed of heavy horse anywhere in the world, was mentioned as the County breed by Arthur Young in his 'General View of the Agriculture of the County of Suffolk' (1813). The Suffolk Horse Society, founded in 1877, actively helps to preserve and promote the breed known more popularly as the Suffolk Punch. They still hold an annual Suffolk Punch Pairs Ploughing Championship with the first prize still the traditional copper kettle. the championship usually takes place in early October, further details are available on the society's web-site. Their museum in Woodbridge - the Suffolk Punch Heavy Horse Museum - opens from April to September (Tuesday to Sunday) and has an award winning display dedicated to this rare breed." Chris Miller (Member, Suffolk Horse Society). Woodbridge has a Suffolk Punch Parade in April. Follow the Horse Path ...

Mop Fair, Marlborough, Wilts - The 'Little Mop', held on the Saturday before old Michaelmas (11 October) and the 'Big Mop' a week later. If the 11 October is a Saturday they are held two weeks apart. Now a fun fair, but once a hiring fair for people looking for work and employers looking for staff. A person looking for farm labouring work would advertise his interest by wearing an ear of corn in his hat or carrying a scythe, a shepherd would wear a tuft of wool and a servant might carry a mop. If after the first week they were not suited to the job (in their or their employer's opinion), they could go to the 'Big Mop' Fair a week later to try again. Marlborough's Mop Fairs are thought to have been held for over 250 years. Contact The Showman's Guild +44(0)1454 323974 or 228890.

Corby Glen Sheep Fair, Lincs - over 750 years old and the last remaining of the the great sheep fairs once held across England. In 1238, Henry III granted a charter for a weekly trade fair and an yearly fair on the 'vigil, the Feast and the Morrow of the Feast of the Assumption', The spirit of the fair remains with festivities starting on Friday and lasting until Monday evening. Market stalls, music and dancing, street entertainers, a funfair, displays, exhibitions, horticultural and dog shows. The weekend ends on Monday with the Sheep Auction in Bourne Road. (Sheep Auction first Monday in October after the 3rd, fair weekend preceeding). Contact Richard Fox on +44(0)1476 550552 or look at this web-site which features the fair.

Tavistock Goozey Fair, Tavistock, Devon. Held on the second Wednesday in October since the early 12th Centuty. The Abbot of Tavistock obtained the rights to hold a weekly market in 1105, and a fair charter was granted by Henry I in 1116. Once the occasion for farmers to drive their geese to market allowing customers time to fatten the birds up before Christmas. Now still a livestock market though with few geese, and also a funfair, market stalls, and still the theme of geese in goose lunches served in restaurants and pubs. "Fairings" biscuits are sold on the day. Contact Tavistock TIC +44(0)1822 612938 or look at this web-site.

Mop Fair, Stratford-on-Avon, Warwicks, 11am-midnight on October 12 unless it is a Sunday in which case it is on the preceeding Saturday. Once a hiring fair where people went to look for work and employers looked for staff. People hoping to become servants would carry a mop to advertise themselves. Now a fun fair opened by the Mayor who processes into town from the Town Hall and read the official proclamation. If children follow her onto the rides they get to go on free of charge. Contact Stratford Town Council +44(0)1789 269332.

Mid-October

Oyster Festival, Falmouth, Cornwall. The Oyster Festival has been held annually in mid-October since 1996, on the Events Square on Falmouth's Discovery Quay. The organisers say "The oyster plays a unique role in our local economy and heritage. the Falmouth Oyster Festival explores and celebrates that role. Timed to coincide with the start of the oyster harvesting season in October, the festival celebrates one of the only remaining oyster fisheries still dredged under sail and oar. Oyster tasting, cookery demonstrations, live music, an oyster ball, local produce and craft fairs are accompanied by an exciting Working Boat Race." For more information, call Joke Snel at Carrick District Council on +44(0)1326 377321 or look at the festival web-site.

Dusshera Mela. An ancient Hindu festival which takes place in mid-October across the world to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, as told in the story of the battle between the good king Rama and his enemy the evil god Ravana. In Britain, one celebration is held in Nottingham in the Castle Grounds. In 2002 a 40ft effigy of Ravana was burnt at the climax of the celebrations. This year there will also be live music, food stalls and exhibitions. See Nottingham's events web-site, or contact +44(0)115 915 3549).

World Conker Championship, Ashton, Northants - on the second Sunday in October, teams from all over the world meet in Ashton for this competition. The competitors play on ten white podiums on the village green and go through rounds until the winner emerges and is lead to the King Conker Throne and crowned with conkers (see a previous King Conker on the right). It started in 1965 when 4 local fishermen were sheltering in the Chequered Skipper pub. They decided to gather some conkers from the village green and 'string up'. Contact John Hadman +44(0)1832 272735 or send an e-mail to him: john . hadman [at] btinternet . com. There is now also a dedicated web-site.

Apple Day October 21st

Common Ground started Apple Day in 1990 and more and hundreds of events have sprung up around the country in each subsequent year, organised spontaneously in many locations, including country and city farms, community orchards, schools, gardens and other public places. Contact +44(0)1747 850820 or look at the Common Ground web site, to find out about events near you, or to let us know about any events you might be organising, or are aware of that we might have missed.

Late October

Horse sale, Stow on the Wold, Glos. Two fairs, on the nearest Thursdays to 24th October and 12th May. The fairs were chartered in 1476 by King Edward IV, are held in fields between Stow and Maugesbury. Travellers arrive from the Monday onwards, and there are stalls of crafts with the sales on the Thursday after which everyone packs up and moves on. The May fair is the larger of the two. Contact Stow on the Wold TIC +44(0)1451 831082.

Yarm Fair, Yorkshire, on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday of third week in October - once a commercial fair predominantly for cheese, horse and livestock sales. Now a fun fair in the small High Street but travellers' horses are still run up and down the High Street on Saturday morning to display those for sale, called the 'Riding of the Fair'.

Vale of Belvoir Conker Championships, at Long Clawson, Leicestershire. This happens every year in October. See the Long Clawston web-site for more information and updates.

Trent Aegir - River Trent, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire - this tidal bore occurs throughout the year. Some of the strongest bores of the year are predicted for October. Look at the Environment Agency web-site for annual predictions.

Oyster Feast Colchester, Essex - 280 people consume thousands of oysters at a civic feast on the last Friday in October, dating back to the time of Charles II and connected with the opening of St Denys's Fair. A local event by invitation only. Contact the Mayor's Office +44(0)1206 282206.

The Gatherings of Exmoor Ponies - between October and November, ponies are taken off the moor, inspected, and youngstock branded. Contact the Exmoor Pony Society +44(0)1398 341490.

Halloween, 31st October

Celtic festival of winter's eve (Samhain) when spirits of the dead were thought to return. Bonfires were burnt to ward off evil spirits, now transferred to Guy Fawkes Night. Now celebrated with apple bobbing, trick or treat and pumpkin (punky) lanterns.

Punkie Night, Hinton St George, nr Ilminster, Somerset (last Thursday in October) - it is said that one night worried wives left lanterns outside made from hollowed out mangel-wurzels to show their drunken husbands the way home. Now children carry lanterns made from pumpkins with faces cut out of them around the village boundary, collecting money and singing the punkie song, Punkie is derived from pumpkin or punk, meaning tinder.

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