The Sowerby Bridge Rushbearing festival is an annual event held the first full weekend of September each year.
Originally revived for the Queens Jubilee in 1977, the festival has grown steadily since.
Dating back to when churches had earthen floors and rushes were used as a form of renewable floor covering, rushbearing is when the old rotten rushes were cleared out and fresh rushes were taken around in carts offered to the churches.
The Rushcart is 16ft tall and decorated with fresh rushes each year. Pulled by a 60 strong team of men in white shirts, Panama hats and clogs, it passes through several villages stopping at many churches, hostelries, cricket and bowling clubs along the way. Accompanied by a team of supporters in Edwardian dress with charity buckets and 14 of the finest morris dancing teams, the crowds are always entertained.
What we do...
The Rushcart will arrive at the Hogs Head Brew House at 5pm where we will host a number of morris dance teams until 5.40pm.
The cart will then leave but we have a full evening of entertainment lined up for you.
(Times may change)