Morris Dancers Celebrate May Day in Cerne Abbas, Shoreham, Abingdon

May Day celebrations across England featured Morris dancing performances, a tradition deeply rooted in English folk culture and often associated with the arrival of summer and ancient pagan festivals. In Cerne Abbas, around 200 people gathered at sunrise to witness the annual performance, which included free beer for spectators and highlighted the event's longstanding history and community spirit. In Shoreham, the Sompting Village Morris marked May Day with a parade, music, and the crowning of the May Queen, noting a recent shift towards greater gender inclusivity within the group. Meanwhile, in Abingdon, a former town mayor completed an 11-hour Morris dancing marathon in a bid for a world record, raising funds for local charities and further demonstrating Morris dancing's ongoing role in community engagement and tradition preservation.