Not unusual for Stroud

Today was Stroud Wassail day. it's a fairly new revival (second year?) of an ancient tradition of dressing up, feasting, drinking and dancing, and blessing apple trees. Or so I believe.

CleanSteve has a cracking series of portraits of participants in his blip of today's exploits. https://www.blipfoto.com/entry/2267027944381613301

Simple plays are performed in costume: Mummers' plays. This is also traditional, and obviously ancient, as there is usually a reference to the Crusades. Stock figures appear such as The Doctor, The Kilted Scotsman, The Dragon, The Knight, The Turk (yep, he's the one fighting the Crusader) and so on. 

These were being performed around town as I went down, but the crowds were too dense to permit photography, so I did a bit of shopping and attempted to blip the procession as it wended around town. Morris sides had come from as far away as Cardiff, and each side had its own distinctive costume, style, dances, and musicians. They danced in the streets. Plenty of hobby-hosses (horses) were in evidence, too. 

However, as the light was bleak, and regular punters were trying to do their Saturday shopping and betting, it was hard to get a decent set of snaps that included heads, feet, head-feathers, giant hobby-hosses and rams, kilts a-swinging, because shoppers would keep walking into shot! 

I caught these very glamorous participants as the procession rounded the corner from George Street to King Street, which is pedestrianised. The Museum had run workshops in "making a raggy coat' last weekend. Judging by the handbag this woman is carrying, she is a local parent who had attended the workshop with her child, and is now waiting to either watch or join the procession. The hobby hosses are surely going to join, I feel. 

Stroud has a good community that participates in the various festivals, particularly of the arts,  as well as others who are frankly unimpressed by them. I chose this shot for the vibrancy of the colours, and to show off Stroud's community spirit. Long may Stroud Wassail continue!

Unfortunately, I have recently decided to cut back on sugar, which includes alcohol. Cider is a pretty damning combination. which is a great shame. A pint of Stowford's wouldn't go amiss at this hour!

Happy weekend, everyone!