St George's Day in Wellingborough, Rushden and Higham Ferrers to feature flag raisings and first-time celebrations
Thursday will mark St George’s Day, an annual celebration of the Patron Saint of England, and in north Northamptonshire there are several community activities happening to mark the occasion.
Flags will be raised and celebrations to mark the occasion tomorrow and at the weekend.
Wellingborough will be marking the day with a flag raising in Market Street at midday on Thursday in an effort to bring the community together.
A Wellingborough Town Council spokesman said: "The ceremony will mark the celebration of St George’s Day and provide an opportunity for members of the community to come together as the St George’s flag is raised in recognition of England’s patron saint.
“We would be delighted if you were able to join us for this short but meaningful event.”
Rushden will also hold a flag raising event tomorrow (April 23), inviting people to the town’s War Memorial at midday for a speech from the town mayor, a St George’s poem and the Shakespeare Shout, part of a national celebration and includes lines from Henry V to honour both St George and William Shakespeare, who each died on April 23.
Higham Ferrers will host its first ever St George’s Day celebration at the Saffron Road Recreational Ground on the afternoon of Saturday, April 25.
The event, which gets under way at 1pm with the arrival of ‘a St George lookalike’, will include a fancy-dress competition at 2pm and the tug-of-war at 2.30pm. A dragon will parade the grounds in between the events and other attractions include a classic car exhibition, stalls, tombola, cakes, face-painting and hog-roast.
Higham Ferrers town clerk, Alicia Schofield said: “Higham Ferrers has a unique link to St George and it is only fitting that we mark the occasion with a special event, which will become an annual gathering.”