Bikers and Morris Dancers get it together for holiday weekend

The Hastings Mayday Run, which celebrates its 40th annual happening this weekend, is ‘one of the biggest free-to-attend motorcycle events in Europe’ according to Bike 1066, organisers of trade and exhibitor pitches and concessions that serve it.  They say they are expecting over 40,000 motorcycling enthusiasts to descend on the town over the course of three days from Saturday morning (5th May).  Not to be outdone, the promoters of the 35th annual Jack-in-the-Green festival that gathers Morris dancers, drummers, folk singers and other musicians into the same weekend’s celebration of the coming of spring will start their festivities on Friday evening with a musical assembly at the Stag in All Saints Street and continue with a programme of dance, folk-singing and drumming events through Saturday and Sunday. By the time  their full procession has climbed West Hill on  Monday afternoon and the mythic rites of Jack-slaying are being performed on the hill top they expect a crowd of 10-12,000 green-bedecked revellers to be in attendance  –  maybe more, if the weather is kind.

Most towns of the size of Hastings might treat either event as the major social gathering of the year, so to have the two groups strutting their stuff alongside each other is remarkable in itself.

In earlier decades, when the green parade was smaller and the number of visiting bikers a minor fraction of those anticipated to come this year, there was a mutual sharing of the street space. Jack and his column would march from the Old Town along George Street to reach the main road seafront, then snake past Wellington Square and up Castle Hill Road to reach the top of West Hill. Bikers might sit on their machines and watch and cheer their passage as enthusiastically as the throngs of bike-less supporters. But as the respective contingents grew in size, the police and other public authorities became keener to steer them apart.  The sea front became the bikers’ unchallenged domain.  The dance and drumming parade was re-routed to turn from the High Street into Croft Road so as to ascend the hill from the east.

In recent years the respective representatives of bikers and green paraders would both attend meetings arranged in advance by Hastings Borough Council with officers from the local fire service, ambulance, police etc to plan safety measures.  According to Barry Jones, long time member of the Jack-in-the-Green organising committee as leader of the chimney sweep band which historically was at its heart, such meetings were held successively but completely distinct. The two sides might even meet in the Council foyer but, like two medical patients waiting their turn for respective confidential consultation with the same doctor, avoided any discussion of mutual interest.

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This year it’s different.  Bike 1066 approached the Council for permission to use the Stade open space as a breakout zone for bikers’ entertainment, including a live riding show known as the Wall of Death, an Isle of Man TT simulator and a big screen to show Superbike racing live from Oulton Park: “a great day by the seaside: loud and noisy but great fun”, according to the advance publicity. But the Stade is surely within the ambit of the Old Town.  How would this intrusion be compatible with the stolidly un-amplified bells and whistles of Morris dancers?

No problem, according to Jack’s celebrants. Joint discussions were held, and it was agreed that on Saturday morning between 11 am and 2 pm Morris sides will come to the Stade to ‘experience’ the Wall of Death.  They will take part (chiefly, it is understood, by standing very still) in the motorised show around them, then reciprocate with a music and dance display for the benefit of the biker crowds around them. It could surely only happen in Hastings.

• For full Jack-in-the-Green programme click here

• For Full Biker programme click here

PICTURE CREDITS: DAVE YOUNG & MARK RICHARDS

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https://www.hastingsindependentpress.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/JITG-1024x678.jpghttps://www.hastingsindependentpress.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/JITG-150x150.jpgHugh SullivanNewsBikers,Hastings Mayday Run,Jack in the GreenBikers and Morris Dancers get it together for holiday weekend The Hastings Mayday Run, which celebrates its 40th annual happening this weekend, is ‘one of the biggest free-to-attend motorcycle events in Europe’ according to Bike 1066, organisers of trade and exhibitor pitches and concessions that serve it.  They say they...The Hastings & St Leonards non-profit community newspaper