Familiar faces dropping in for Wassailing Weekend at Sherwood Forest
A strange-looking crew of winter visitors will be in Sherwood Forest to try and disrupt an ancient ceremony hosted by none other than the Sheriff of Nottingham.
The Whitby Krampus Run returns to Sherwood for their fourth visit to the home of Robin Hood.
They will be at the RSPB reserve at Edwinstowe as part of the forest’s Wassailing Weekend on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th January.
The Sheriff and his nemesis Robin Hood are set to join forces to lead the ceremony, when they express their hopes for the health of the forest for the year ahead.
The Krampus, which have been celebrated in Alpine folklore for centuries, will also be close at hand, however.
The event begins on Saturday 18th January with lantern-making craft sessions at the Visitor Centre in Forest Corner. The lanterns will help to light the way back to the Centre from the Major Oak as the sun begins to set. Birdseed shakers to startle the Krampus can also be made.
From 12pm, the Sheriff will hold court down at the Major Oak, joined by the Rattlejag Morris dancing troupe at around 2.30pm as the wassailing ceremony gets underway.
As the Krampus emerge from the shadows to claim the forest for the night, visitors will set out on their lantern parade back the centre.
At 12pm on Sunday 19th January, the Sheriff and Robin will return to lead a noisy parade through the forest to send the Krampus packing.
Visitors should bring pots, pans and other items to bash and bang on the route back to the Major Oak. Dressing up and wearing an interesting hat or another curious item of headgear is also encouraged.
The Sheriff will then complete the wassailing ceremony, and, as for the Krampus, well, visitors will have to wait and see.
There will be performances from the Lady Bay Revellers Morris dancing group, the Hucknall Ukelele Group and the Calverton Real Ale and Plough Play Preservation Society, which will perform another of their hilarious traditional mummers plays at the Oak.
The event is free (parking charges apply), although there will be a small charge for craft activities.
For more information, go to the reserve website www.visitsherwood.co.uk or follow the reserve’s Facebook page @visitsherwood