Rushcart Festival falls victim to pandemic - again

The Rushcart Festival in 2019

The famous Saddleworth Morrismen legendary Rushcart Festival has been cancelled for the second time in two years.

David Biggs, Squire of Saddleworth Morris Men said: "A lot of hard work has gone on behind the scenes but it's only recently become apparent we're fighting a losing battle this year.

"A respectable number of sides confirmed attendance but the size of many were lower than usual and others couldn't attend due to a lack of practice or other reasons relating to the pandemic.

"The last thing we want is the potential to arrive on Rushcart Saturday morning to find a Cart there which can't be pulled between the villages. It would be unfair to those sides that have confirmed, the local community and our Jockey.

"We are extremely humbled by those sides who wished to attend under the circumstances and with the lengthy list of caveats that go with organising something of such complexity during a pandemic.

"We are obviously devastated that this is the case for the second year running, but we hope to be back with the Rushcart in 2022.

"Saddleworth Morris Men may still do something locally but we haven't made a final decision, and will look to announce something on our Facebook page in the near future."

The Rushcart festival was established in 1975 with hundreds of Morris dancers and musicians from across the country parading through local villages.

They pull a Cart laden with rushes that weighs around two tonnes, and dance at several spots over the weekend.

Saddleworth Morris Men's last local public appearance was at the annual Lordsmere Longsword event in December 2019..

The event, their 46th, was scheduled to be  staged on August 21-22,  when villagers turn out as the morris cavalcade dances its way from Uppermill to Greenfield, Delph and Dobcross before returning to Uppermill, towing a giant two-tonne cart, complete with 14ft high connicle  tower of rushes.

And on Sunday, after the service at Saddleworth parish church when rushes are scattered on the floor, the dancing and entertainment would have continued with a gurning competition, wrestling  a bad singing contest.

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