Gawthorpe Maypole Procession 2025: Historic annual tradition to take place as parade entries open
Preperations are almost complete for the Gawthorpe Maypole Procession as it celebrates its 151st anniversary.
The village of Gawthorpe will stage its time-honoured Maypole Procession on Saturday, May 3, 2025 and the Gawthorpe Maypole Committee is hoping for a bumper entry for the 151st Gawthorpe Maypole Procession and feast.
A colourful mile-long procession will parade through the streets of Gawthorpe and Ossett as the Maypole celebrations get underway.
The procession will start at 2pm from Highfield School and wind its way through the streets of Gawthorpe and Ossett before heading back into Gawthorpe village where the traditional maypole dancers will entertain the crowd with the worlds most complex and intricate plaiting sequences.
Entries of floats and children’s and adult fancy dress can be made either before the day or on the Saturday morning until 1pm at the Maypole Cabin, High Street, Gawthorpe and it is an ideal opportunity for organisations to recruit new members and for businesses to show what they have to offer.
This year’s May Queen Elect will take centre stage with her Maids of Honour and will lead the procession along with a traditional brass band.
As well as the annual procession, families will be able to visit Robinson’s funfair in the Maypole Field on Swithenbank Avenue with fairground rides and stalls.
Details of classes, entry fees and prizes are all on the website here.
According to the Gawthorpe Maypole website, maypole dancing can be traced in Gawthorpe to the reign of Henry VIII, and local school children have been taught the dances since 1906.