Greater Boston Ritual Dance & Drama

Recurring Area Events - Local

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April

Newtowne Morris Men Easter Tour

What: A morris tour.  Outdoors.

When: Easter Sunday, roughly noon to mid-afternoon

When next: April 2020

Where: Downtown Boston - Starts shortly after noon, outside the Emmanuel Church on Newbury Street, continues in the Boston Public Gardens, and typically ends in or near Copley Square

Website:  

Host: Newtowne Morris Men

Since: The world was young

The NEFFA Festival

What: A massive folk festival.  Several dozen morris and sword teams take turns dancing all through the festival.  Indoors and outdoors.

When: A weekend in mid- or late April, Friday evening through Sunday

When next: April 2020

Where: Mansfield - Mansfield High and Middle Schools

Website: https://www.neffa.org/folk-festival/new-england-folk-festival/

Host: The New England Folk Festival Association

Since: 1944

The Gore Place Sheepshearing Festival

What: A festival on the grounds of a Federal era mansion featuring wool and wool-related activities.  The remnants of the Commonwealth Morris Men and friends dance out at various times and places throughout the day, and generally also run maypole dancing.  Outdoors.

When: The last Saturday in April, 10 AM to 5 PM (rain or shine)

When next: April 25, 2020

Where: Waltham - Gore Place

Website: http://goreplace.org/sheepshearing-festival/

Host: Gore Place

Since: 1988

Top    Apr    May    Jun    Sep    Oct

May

Cambridge May Morning

What: A festival welcoming the return of the warm seasons.  Maypole dancing, morris dancing by various teams, singing, and general festivities.  Outdoors.

When: May 1, dawn

When next: May 1, 2020

Where: Cambridge - Starts at the bank of the Charles by the Weeks Memorial Footbridge, proceeds through a Harvard University quad, and ends in the Holyoke Center

Website: http://mit.edu/ijs/www/morris/mayday.html

Host: Newtowne Morris Men

Since: 1975

Somerville Spring Garden Day

What: A garden festival held at the Somerville Community Growing Center.  Red Herring Morris dances out.  Outdoors.

When: The first Saturday or Sunday of May, in late morning

When next: May 2020

Where: Somerville - Somerville Community Growing Center

Website:  

Host: Somerville Community Growing Center

Since:  

The Ginger Ale

What: A day of dance for the area kids teams.

When: A Saturday in mid-May, daytime

When next: May 2020

Where: Downtown Boston - Quincy Market

Website: Unknown!  They used to use http://www.gingerale.org or http://www.angelfire.com/folk/thegingerale/index.html, but neither works these days.

Host: Varies

Since: 1997

Top    Apr    May    Jun    Sep    Oct

June

Red Herring Kettle of Fish Ale

What: A morris ale.  Outdoors. 

When: A weekend in late May or early June

When next: June 2020

Where: Various locations in Greater Boston

Website: http://www.redherringmorris.com/ale/

Host: Red Herring Morris

Since: Prior to 2007 the Red Herring Day of Dance, held on the north shore in May, on the day before Lilac Sunday.  From 2007 through 2011, a two-day ale the weekend of Lilac Sunday, with the second day's dancing at Lilac Sunday.  In 2012, a two-day ale the weekend of Mother's Day.  In 2013 and 2014, a two-day ale held in October, on Columbus Day weekend.  Since 2015, a two-day ale held in late May or early June.

Top    Apr    May    Jun    Sep    Oct

September

Pinewoods Morris Men Fall Tour

What: A day of dance.

When: September

When next: September 2019

Where: Cambridge and Boston

Website:  

Host: Pinewoods Morris Men

Since:  

Top    Apr    May    Jun    Sep    Oct

October

Muddy River Apple Tour

What: A day of dance.

When: Late September or early October

When next: October 5, 2019

Where: Boston metrowest

Website: http://muddyrivermorris.org/see-us-dance

Host: Muddy River Morris

Since: 1998

Ha'penny Morris Fall Harvest Tour

What: A day of dance.

When: Late September or early October

When next: October 2019

Where: Concord and surrounding towns

Website:  

Host: Ha'penny Morris

Since:  

AntiMorris

What: A dancing down of the summer sun, in counterpoint to the May Day festivities.  RTFM's annual dance out.  Outdoors.

When: October 31, sunset

When next: October 31, 2019

Where: Somerville - Somerville Community Growing Center

Website: http://rtfm.arberth.com

Host: Recently Traditional Fictional Morris

Since: 2001

The Oxford Street Souling (OSS) Tour

What: A procession of mummers performing a souling play.  Outdoors.

When: October 31, after AntiMorris ends

When next: October 31, 2019

Where: Somerville - Starts at the Somerville Community Growing Center and proceeds up Vinal Avenue to Highland Avenue, over to School Street, down to Oxford Street, and the entire length of Oxford Street

Website: http://sites.google.com/site/paperbagmummers/Home/gigs-1/OxfordStreetSoulingTour

Host: Paper Bag Mummers

Since: 2003

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