Jack in the Green Festival Day 1

We’ve been looking forward to this for a long time, even before we decided to come over here. We’ve seen this festival on a few travel shows and it instantly appealed to us. The Jack in the Green festival is a celebration that involves Jack (basically a bush with a man’s face in it) who represents the spring and holds the spirit of summer. After three days of festing Jack is slain, after a parade, releasing the spirit of summer. Anyway, we took the train down to Hastings, where the festival is, and got there late in the morning. Our journey was to begin at Victoria rail station around 8:47am but quickly became 9:13am since the Southern Rail Line couldn’t find a driver for our train. Inconsequentially, every fold down tray for the seats made an awful squealing sound so we made sure not to sit at one in order to avoid the temptation. After a short wait we saw two rail workers escorting a chimpanzee down the track towards the front of the train; minutes later we were told they found our driver and we’re on our way. Trains may be a little expensive but what a wonderful way to get around. Hastings is another coastal town and is separated into New Hastings and Old Hastings. Again, Old Hastings is in a valley between two hills and the western hill separates the two divisions. Hastings is very much like a Jersey shore experience. There is a boardwalk, boardwalk rides, boardwalk gambling and boardwalk food. Upon entering Old Hastings the roads narrowed and many of the shops sported green leaves with red, yellow and blue streamers hanging outside. A display of Morris Dancing was happening near Old Hastings and that is one of the main things we wanted to see. Not that Morris Dancing is hard to explain but I think the pictures and videos do the job better. We really enjoyed watching the different themed dancers come and go and see the comradery amongst them. Throughout the day there were a few events scheduled around town but we really wanted to go to The Stag pub for their food and scheduled singing. The Stag was pub was down a road on the parade route and the road itself was decorated for the festivities. Interestingly, the sidewalks in Old Hastings rise above the narrow road and provided a great view of the parade. We arrived at The Stag early and found a seat but not too long after it started to fill up. Our two-person table was kind of in the center of everything and we quickly found out that we had to move for a quick show. Some Borderland sword dancers came in and did a little thing for a few minutes. It was awesome (see video). The pub crowded up, we ate our food, and listened to some of the folk singing coming from the other room. Everyone in the room joined in. After the pub it was time to explore the town and see what else was happening. Old Hastings High Street was where it was all happening and low and behold we found a mini beer festival happening in one of the pubs. Forcibly we stopped in and got some halves. I got a cider (Thatcher’s Cheddar Valley) that looked like tang and was hard to drink and Beckie got an ale (Cairghorn Howler). It was already 5ish by this point so we walked through the town some more and made our way up to the green on the eastern hill. On this hill is another Norman Castle, originally as a motte and bailey by William the Conqueror during his invasion. During the parade Jack makes his way to the castle where he will meet his fate. The sun set on the hill and we made our way down the other side towards New Hastings for dinner. The New Hastings town centre is definitely more of a modern town square with multiple streets closed off for pedestrians. The Morris Dancing was truly amazing and I never thought I would be so captivated by it, very English. Pictures.