When: 16th June 2012
Where: Ock Street, Abingdon, Oxfordshire
£: Free
What is it?
The Mayor of Ock Street is an annual local event where a mayor is elected each year by the residents of Ock Street. Traditionally this quirky custom coincided with the day of the annual horse fair but these days it’s held on the nearest Saturday to June 19th. These mock mayors were once a widespread British custom but now there are only a handful in areas such as Oxfordshire and Cornwall carrying on the tradition. The mock mayor is meant to be a parody of the actual civic mayor.
The Ock Street election is organised by the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers and is used as an excuse for inviting other Morris sides to Abingdon and having a day-long festival of dance. Residents of Ock Street all have the right to vote, and the election count takes place, rather handily, in the Brewery Tap at 4pm. The Mayor, is then paraded along Ock Street and spends the next year as squire of the Morris side. The dancing and festivities usually continue well into the evening.
More info: www.abingdonmorris.org.uk and www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com.