Quirky entertainment at the Stilton Cheese Rolling (Photo: © Stilton Community Association).
When: 4th May 2015, from 10.30am
Where: High Street, Stilton, Cambridgeshire
£: Free to watch. £5 per team to enter.
What is it?
The annual Stilton Cheese Rolling event takes place on Monday 4th May in Stilton, Cambridgeshire.
This May bank holiday tradition began after the village found itself in need of a boost. The competition was thought up by a local pub landlord, as a way of bringing in new visitors to the area.
The starting point for the Stilton Cheese Rolling is outside The Bell Inn and The Angel, with the finish line drawn at the crossroads between the bottom of Fen Street and Church Street.
For the competition, the contestants compete in teams of four. Teams can be all men, all women or mixed juniors. Each team member has to roll the cheese at least once during its flight. Many of the teams choose to get into the spirit of the event by wearing fancy dress. The competition works on a knockout basis, with quarter finals, semi finals and a grand final.
Stilton Cheese Rolling teams compete on the high street (Photo: © Stilton Community Association).
The day’s entertainment will begin at 10.30am with the crowning of the May King, Queen and Princesses. This is followed by traditional dancing, including Maypole dancing and fenland ‘Molly’ dancing. Then at 12pm the main event begins, with a parade of Cheese Rolling teams, and the competition itself.
Other entertainment throughout the day includes stalls, fairground rides, a magic show and a 1940s style cafe. There will also be a beer festival at The Tunnels.
More info: www.stilton.org/cheese-rolling and www.facebook.com/stiltoncheeserolling