CELEBRATIONS will take place in Teesdale’s maypole village this bank holiday Monday (May 7).
Villagers in Ovington are organising the event from 11am and it will feature youth folk group Cream Tees, traditional maypole dancing and stalls.
One of the organisers, Amanda Wilson, said: “Please do come and join in the fun – no training or experience is necessary, although a good sense of humour is a must, as will be a pair of wellies and waterproofs if the weather isn’t kind to us. The usual and highly popular cake stall, hotdogs, tea and coffee will all be available for a modest fee.”
Ms Wilson has rediscovered an old Mayday dancing rhyme. She said: “The rhyme goes back many a decade and was passed over to me from someone in the village as included in a Handbill for Mayday circa 1870, apparently, so I thought we could use it again.”
It goes as follows: “Pudding-eaters, smokers, turners. Sages, philosophers,and gurners, We most respectfully invite you. To a scene that will delight you. Let us meet on common level. Come and join our May Day revel!”
