Traditional Celebrations
Find out what’s on through the year.
Traditional Holidays and celebrations.
Celebrate Traditional British Holidays & Celebrations. A guide to traditional British holidays and annual celebrations throughout the year. Gatherings, age old customs and traditions, local food and drink, all help mark the occasions.
Twelfth Night
Recognised as the last day of the Christmas festive season. It is tradition to take down your Christmas tree and decorations to avoid bad luck in the year ahead.
January 5 2026
Burns Night
Celebrate the life and poetry Scottish Robert Burns, with a special Burns Night Supper with Haggis, Neeps and Tatties and friends.
January 25 2026
St. Dwynwen’s Day
Celebrate Welsh Valentine’s day. St Dwynwen’s Day celebrates the patron saint of lovers with gifts, poems and tokens of heartfelt devotion.
January 25 2026
Candlemas Day
Candlemas is the last festival in the Christian Christmas calendar. It is tradition, although not so popular these days, for people to have light candles in their windows on the night.
February 2 2026
Valentines Day
Send the one you love a Valentines gift & card. Give chocolates and jewellery.
February 14 2026
Shrove Tuesday
Pancakes piled high with sugar, lemon or lavish toppings. Everybody loves pancakes, and Shrove Tuesday is the perfect day to indulge.
March 4 2026
St Pirans Day
Cornwall celebrates its patron saint with pasty feasts, parades and black-and-white flags flown proudly in towns and villages.
March 5 2026
Mothering Sunday
Mothers Days is celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent. Buy a great British made gift or British Flowers for your mother on Mothers Day.
March 27 2026
April Fools Day
Traditional day of jokes and playful pranks every year on the 1st of April, until 12 noon, when all pranks must stop and be revealed.
April 1 2026
Maundy Thursday
Marking the night of the Last Supper, Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday.
April 17 2026
Good Friday
Have a hot cross bun and a fish supper this Good Friday. It follows Maundy Thursday and precedes Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.
April 3 2026
Easter Sunday
Springtime joy arrives with chocolate eggs, family gatherings, church services and shared celebrations of renewal and hope.
April 5 2026
Easter Monday
An extra day of rest on Easter Monday.
April 6 2026
Beltane
A Gaelic May Day festival welcoming summer with bonfires, blossoms, music and ancient rituals of renewal.
April 30 – May 1 2026
May Day
May Day has been celebrated in England for centuries. Traditional May Day celebrations include the crowning a May Queen, Dancing around the Maypole and Morris Dancing.
May 2 2026
Harvest Festival
On or Near the Sunday of the Harvest Moon. Harvest Home is a traditional English harvest festival celebrated since pagan times.
Sunday nearest the harvest moon 2026
Punkie Night
Punky night is a local Somerset tradition where villagers gather together for a procession with lanterns made out of manglewurzel.
October 30 2026
Bonfire Night
Fires blaze and fireworks crackle to remember Guy Fawkes’ failed plot. One of the biggest occasions for fireworks in Britain.
November 5 2026
Winter Solstice
The shortest day of the year, observed at sacred sites. People gather at Stonehenge in Glastonbury.
Sunday nearest the harvest moon 2026
Christmas Day
A sparkling Christmas tree, cards and presents with everyone around the table for Christmas lunch.
December 25 2026
Boxing Day
The day after Christmas brings giving back, gift exchanges with neighbours, and countryside walks.
December 26 2026
Hogmanay
Hogmanay is Scotland’s world famous New Year’s celebration, with fireworks, first-footers and midnight celebrations.
December 31 2026
All across the year, there are traditional and cultural times of the year with festivals and events to mark the occasion. Enjoy traditional customs and local trivia celebrating special days in Britain.
Mark the occasion with Uniquely British Traditions
Discover
Discover unusual traditions from local village folklore to centuries old tales, national holidays and local events.
Enjoy
Enjoy traditional products and crafts associated with the different celebrations around the country.
Take Part
Explore British culture with friends by taking part in the many festivals and celebrations each year.
Searching for British made products?
Find regionally made products by independent businesses offering a unique range of goods. Every part of the country has it’s own regional speciality and traditional crafts.
