What's happening for May Day in Shropshire?

4 hours ago

Andy GiddingsWest Midlands

News image — The Green Man Festival in Ludlow marks the traditional start of spring

BBC A man and a woman wearing green, with the woman holding a bunch of yellow and red flowers and the man a green mask with antlers on it, with a grassy hill behind them — The Green Man Festival in Ludlow marks the traditional start of spring

Over the next few days there will be celebrations in towns and villages all over Shropshire to coincide with the May bank holiday.

They range from a traditional Green Man celebration to a barbeque festival.

Here is a brief guide to some of the attractions.

Loopfest takes place in Shrewsbury on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with venues around the town centre hosting a variety of music events.

The event is now in its fourth year and it gets going on Friday with bands including Ash and Reef.

The festival promises more than 250 artists across more than 40 venues, including the Quarry, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury Castle, St Mary's Church, the Darwin Community Centre and The Hive.

As well as rock bands, here will be a range of other music, from brass bands to country and punk.

Getty Images A man with brown hair and a denim jacket holding a brown guitar with a man with brown hair and a striped grey tshirt behind him — Indie band Ash, who scored huge hits in the 90s with the likes of Girl from Mars and Oh Yeah, are among the highlights of Shrewsbury's Loopfest

The Clun Green Man Festival takes place on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

The traditional celebration marks the traditional start of spring and features a range of street performers, dancing, music and food.

The highlight will see the Green Man and the Ice Queen go into a symbolic battle, which will be acted out on Clun Bridge on Monday.

Getty Images A street in the evening with black and white timber buildings along one side of the road and a stone building with arches on the ground floor at one end — Ludlow town centre will see the return of the may fair over the coming days

Ludlow's Mayfair is back again with fairground rides and food stalls.

The town council says there will be a traditional fairground atmosphere, describing the event as "a vibrant celebration of tradition, community and family fun".

The arrival of the fair will mean road closures on High Street, Mill Street, Castle Square and Dinham until 5 May.

Ludlow Market will also make way to return next Wednesday.

The council said that in the meantime, traders would operate under the Buttercross: Lee's Farm Shop on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and at Evans Family Butchers on Monday.

One unusual feature is the Mayfair dodgem church service on Sunday, in which the congregation is seated in dodgem cars.

Telford and Wrekin Council A man with black curly hair and sunglasses in a green jacket holding up a large piece of roasted meat — Adam Purnell has been producing Youtube videos as The Shropshire Lad since 2017

On 2 and 3 May, Dale End Park in Ironbridge will be taken over by the Embers Fire Festival.

Organised by local chef Adam Purnell, known online as Shropshire Lad, it will feature barbeque demonstrations, market traders, food stalls and live music.

Purnell decided to hold the event to celebrate the third birthday of his Embers Cafe.

Other events over the bank holiday weekend include Shifnal's Spring Fling on Sunday, Much Wenlock Mayfair on Monday and an "Exotic Express" on Telford Steam Railway, involving Telford Exotic Zoo.

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