We want to help local Councils, community groups, and English patriots celebrate St. George’s Day. So we have produced a list of activities and celebrations that have worked well in the past.
Hopefully, this will give you some idea of what you could do on 23 April. Some of the ideas cost nothing, and most are affordable within a modest budget.
When you have organised your St. George celebration, remember to add it to our list of activities for free publicity. Go to St. George’s Day Activities.
1) Archery Display or Competition
English Archers were the most feared in all the world. Re-live the great victories of Crecy and Agincourt by organising a fun archery display or competition. Local archery groups can be found at www.archeryengland.org or www.efaafieldarcher.com
2) Beer Festival with CAMRA
England boasts many fine ales and has a great brewing tradition. The Campaign for Real Ale has promoted English ales over many years and has the expertise to help you organise a successful English Ale event, details from www.camra.org.uk
3) Bunting in the High Street
A simple but effective way to attract shoppers away from the big ‘out of town’ shopping centres and into the High Street. Local traders may contribute to the cost if they feel it is well publicised.
The bunting does not have to be flags. One High Street had England football and rugby shirts ‘pegged’ to a washing line across the road.
4) Bunting for Offices or Events
We have produced unique St. George’s Day bunting that includes English icons. It’s free to download and print. Go to St. George’s Day Free Downloads.
5) Bus Stops or Shelters and Post Boxes
Simple but effective. People can spend a lot of time at bus stops and in shelters, so decorate them in red and white bunting or England flags to get the message across that it’s St. George’s Day.
6) Brass Band
Arrange for the Salvation Army or other Brass Bands to play traditional English tunes at the local shopping centre or other high-traffic areas. A collection could also be held for a local charity.
Go to Brass Bands England to find a local band.
7) Church Bell Ringing
Arrange for the local Church Bells to be rung at midday on 23 April. This will get good press coverage and make a magnificent sound.
8) Crafts Market
The English are a very skillful race, and our crafts date back many centuries. Organise a Crafts Market and give local traders the opportunity to show their skills. Reach out to the Crafts Council or search online for “local English crafts”.
9) Cream Tea
Yorkshire tea, English scones, Devon clotted cream, and Kent Strawberry jam are always popular. Local venues, such as Churches, Community Centres, and even Sports Halls, could be turned into English tea rooms for the day.
10) Darts Competition
Darts were originally created by English Archers who threw arrowheads at the bottom of wooden beer barrels. It’s as popular now as it was then. Organise an amateur ‘open-air’ darts competition, perhaps linked with a beer tent and real ale.
11) Dinner for Charity
Tomato Soup, Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding, Rhubarb Pie and Custard, Cheddar Cheese and Biscuits or a Balti Curry. Whatever your favourite English menu, a Charity Dinner (hosted by the Mayor?) could raise funds for local charities and raise awareness of St. George’s Day.
12) Dog Show
The English have always loved animals, and what better way to celebrate St. George’s Day than with a dog show? It doesn’t have to be Crufts—indeed, making it open to all types of dogs will ensure it’s more popular.
There is excellent advice on organizing a playful Dog Show at Grown Gals.
13) Dragon Hunt
Great fun for parents with young children. Dragon posters are placed in a park, shopping centre or High Street and the kids are given clues to the location. If they get all the locations correct they win a small ‘goody bag’ of sweets. Simple, but great fun.
14) Dragon Slaying
St. George fights the Dragon in your local High Street! An amateur dramatic society could put on a play or simply roam the streets in mock battle. One group of actors did the play on stilts, which looked fantastic.
15) Falconry Display
It was the favourite sport of every King of England from Alfred the Great to George III. Now everyone can enjoy these magnificent birds. Google ‘Falconry Displays’ to find your local supplier.
16) Farmers Market
Buying local produce is the most environmentally friendly way to purchase food. Local produce has the lowest carbon footprint because it requires minimal transport and is guaranteed fresh. It’s a great way to support local English farmers and remind people of England’s food heritage.
Search online for ‘farmers markets near me’ and see if an existing market will arrange a special event for 23 April.
17) Flags or Shopping Bags
Small English flags made from paper could be handed out at your St. George event, or recycled paper shopping bags with a Cross of St George on the front could be given to shoppers (maybe add a recycling message, “Keep England a Green and Pleasant Land”).
Search online for “paper England flags” or “recycled paper shopping bags”.
18) Flower Show
Another great English love is gardening; April is a great month to show off those Spring flowers. The show can add a splash of colour to small country villages and urban concrete jungles.
The Royal Horticultural Society has a list of local community groups.
19) Folk Music
Create a great atmosphere with traditional English Folk music. The tradition dates back centuries and is on the crest of a revival as people become more interested in English culture. Visit English Folk Dance & Song Society for more details.
20) Football, Cricket, or Rugby Match for Charity
Pub vs. pub or local firm vs. council, whatever the two sides, it’s a great way to celebrate England’s contribution to world sport. Teams pay to enter, or a collection is made from the crowd, and all proceeds go to charity.
21) Full English Breakfast
What better way to start the 23 April celebrations than a Full English Breakfast? The council could support local High Street shops by organising a photo shoot of the Mayor in a local Cafe, or a group of local Cafes in the area could organise a special ‘St. George Breakfast’.
22) Fun Run or Wonderful Walk
There are already a number of Fun Run’s on St. George’s Day, and running, jogging or a brisk walk are now firmly established as part of English culture. Organise your own Fun Run to celebrate England’s National Day.
Most Fun Runs/Walks charge participants a few pounds to enter, and the proceeds can go to charity, but many are now free – Park Run is a good example. The distance is normally 5k (3 miles) or 10k (6 miles).
23) Hog Roast
A medieval favourite and great tasting food. It can be linked to other medieval events (Tudor Dance or Jousting), and many companies will provide the equipment, staff, and food. Search online for “hog roast caterers” for a list of suppliers.
24) Libraries and English Writers
The library is a perfect place to highlight England’s literary heritage. In addition to reading St. George and the Dragon stories to children (download here), you can promote great English writers such as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, George Orwell, Charlotte Brontë, George Eliot, J. K. Rowling, Geoffrey Chaucer, and Virginia Woolf.
25) Mayor’s Toast to England
It’s simple but a great piece of publicity. The Mayor stands on the steps of the town hall and reads a ‘Toast to England’, followed by a drink of English Apple Juice, Mead, or English Beer. It’s very low-cost but will get coverage in the local papers and maybe on TV.
There is currently no World Record for the largest number of people to recite Shakespeare’s famous St. George speech (Henry V – Act III, Scene I):
“I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game’s afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry ‘God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'”
The Mayor could lead the assembled crowd in a recital and get your Council in the Guinness Book of Records.
26) Medieval Re-enactment
There are many medieval re-enactment societies across England. Invite them to showcase activities, skills, and crafts in your area so that people can witness their country’s history firsthand. Google “medieval reenactment society” or “living history society” for a list of groups.
27) Medieval Street Entertainers
A very popular way to celebrate England’s National Day – Fools, Jugglers, Stilt Walkers, and battling Knights, a traditional part of medieval celebrations. Search online for “medieval performers” to find entertainers in your local area.
28) Morris Dancing
April 23 is a busy time for Morris Dancers, so book them early to avoid disappointment, or even better, organise your own ‘amateur’ Morris Dancers. More information can be found at www.themorrisring.org.
29) Mummers Play
The earliest written records of Mummers’ Plays date back to the mid-18th Century, but they likely have a much earlier origin. The principal characters are normally St. George, a Dragon, a Doctor, and… (wait for it)… Father Christmas (?!).
There are groups who perform ‘Mumming’ (sometimes connected with a Morris Dancing side) and you can find them by searching “mummers play groups”. Alternatively, you could create your own group and perform a Mummers Play.
Here is a St. George and the Dragon Mummers Play written in 1852.
30) ‘Nine Mens Morris’ Game
A simple, but fun, old English game for two players which was popular in medieval England. The game is quick to learn and fast to play. A copy of the game and the rules will be available here soon. It can be played in pubs and small groups or in a park as part of a festival.
31) Office Jousting
A piece of rope, two office chairs, and a flag. That’s all you need for office jousting (plus a bit of bravery). Performed outdoors, the ‘knights’ line up on either side of the rope with the flag tied in the middle. On the word ‘go’, they speed towards the flag while sitting on the chairs. First to the flag wins.
32) Painting Competition for Children
Which school or child can paint the best Dragon or the best St. George? The prize could be a simple certificate given by the Mayor or gift tokens. The paintings could be auctioned among parents for charity, or displayed at a local shopping centre.
33) Posters ‘Happy St. George’s Day’
Very simple, but an effective way to promote this special day. Display the posters in shop windows, on Council notice boards, in Libraries – anywhere that people congregate. You can download A4 St. George Posters and print them in full colour or black & white.
34) Punch & Judy show
The first written record of a Punch & Judy show comes from Samuel Pepys’s diary dated 9 May,1662 (now widely regarded as Punch’s birthday). The show is a well-established part of the English seaside and is still loved by children of all ages. Details of Punch & Judy performers can be found at www.punchandjudy.org.
35) Roses
Arrange for a local Garden Centre to hand out red roses outside the Town Hall. Great publicity for them and the local Council. Or arrange for them to be sold at a local shopping centre and all the proceeds go to charity.
36) St. George Mushroom Picking
Yes, there is a St. George mushroom.
Be careful when picking mushrooms; some are poisonous, and it’s best to do it as part of an organised event with an expert. Search online for “mushroom picking near me” and find a mycophile (mushroom enthusiast) who will help organise mushroom picking.
It’s a different way to celebrate St. George’s Day in small groups and could get local media coverage.
37) School Play
Adapt the story of St George and the Dragon for a school play. One of the original stories (‘The Seven Champions’ by Richard Johnson, 1596) is available on this website. Download ‘Saint George and the Dragon‘.
We also have free St. George colouring sheets for children.
38) Scouts Parade
St. George is the Patron Saint of Scouts. Most Scout Groups organise a celebration on 23 April, and you could add your support by agreeing to take part in a parade or other Scout event.
39) Shakespeare Play
There’s no doubt that Shakespeare is England’s greatest playwright, known all over the world. He was born and died on 23 April and is therefore closely linked with St. George’s Day.
Readings in libraries, amateur plays in the park, or a Shakespeare quiz – all to remember his birth and death on England’s national day.
40) Sports Day
Organise a typical English Sports Day with Three Legged Race, Wheelbarrow Race, Egg & Spoon Race or Sack Race. Great fun for all ages, and you don’t have to be Paula Radcliffe to win!
41) St George Faceboards
We have developed a low-cost but highly effective way to promote St. George. The St. George Faceboards are life-size cartoons with a hole where members of the public put their head through. Adults and children can become St. George or the Princess and have their photo taken. Great for social media.
42) ‘Town Crier’ Competition for Children
Children love to make noise, so channel that into a competition to select the loudest Town Crier. Dating back to medieval time, Criers were used to tell the town that all was well, or to announce a warning.
Children could gather at the Town Hall or Market Square and shout “Happy Saint George’s Day!” Every child who takes part gets a certificate with their name, but maybe the winner gets something extra.
43) Town Twinning with St. George
There are many towns and countries overseas who also have St. George as their Patron Saint – from Portugal to Palestine. Towns in England could twin with towns who share our Patron Saint and learn about how they celebrate 23 April.
44) St. George and the 3 Cs
St. George is associated with the characteristics of Courage, Chivalry and Charity (known as the 3 Cs).
Invite people to join the local Mayor in completing the 3 Cs on St. George’s Day. Each person decides on their own personal goals – for Courage they could hold a spider, for Chivalry they could give a rose to their partner, and for Charity they could do a sponsored walk.
Whatever they do, the results could be published in the local paper along with the Mayor’s efforts, and mabe the Mayor could hand a certificate to those who complete their tasks.
45) Tea Dance
Given the success of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ on the BBC this should be popular with young and old. Invite a dance teacher to teach some of the young ones and marvel at the dance moves of the older generation. And for energy… a nice cup of tea with cream cakes.
46) Quiz Night for Charity
Anyone can do this – pub, school, care home, church, library. Quiz sheets for children are available now and quizzes for adults will be available here soon.
47) Walks & Talks about Local History
Discover English history on your doorstep. Organise a local walk to highlight famous people and places in your local area, and tell a story of how the area has changed over the years.
Visit the British Association for Local History or search online for “local historians near me” to find an existing group.