The Straw Bear Festival returns to the streets of Whittlesey in colorful style

The annual Whittlesey Straw Bear Festival returned in colorful style on Saturday as people gathered to watch the famous parade through the streets of Cambridgeshire. Dancers and musicians braved the cold weather in the village of Whittlesey and walked in procession with straw beer attendants. Crowds packed the streets of Whittlesey to try and catch a glimpse of the Straw Bear, while other festival goers were seen taking selfies with the show’s star. The Straw Bears paraded through the streets with members of the Bourne Borders Dance Troupe, a Morris dancing group known for wearing bright yellow and green costumes, green face paint and colorful hats with various flowers. Other Morris dancers wore multi-coloured jackets of red, purple and blue and made from different pieces of fabric. Meanwhile, the Pig Dyke Molly dancers were wearing striking face paint with dramatic black and white details as they took to the streets and the Old Glory Molly dancers were wearing gray face paint and crowns made of green leaves. The tradition of rolling straw beers through the village dates back to the 1880s, but the exact date of its origin remains uncertain. According to the organizers, it was customary that on the Tuesday following Hull Monday, one of the Hull members would wear straw and be named the Straw Bear. The festival was shut down in 1909 by the local constabulary, who banned straw beers as caddying, but was revived by the Whittlesey Society in 1980. The annual procession now includes over 250 dancers and musicians who take part in traditional performances while crowds gather to catch a glimpse of the famous Straw Bears. The festivities will conclude on Sunday where an effigy of the Straw Bear will be burned, paving the way for a new bear to be born in the next year’s harvest.