Country By The Castle
A country music festival set against the dramatic fells backdrop of Muncaster Castle in the Eskdale valley, featuring UK country acts across a weekend on one of Cumbria's most spectacular private estates.
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"The combined agricultural show for the Brough and Kirkby Stephen area showcases the sheep farming traditions of the Cumbrian Dales, with horticulture, vintage machinery, and livestock classes in the dramatic Upper Eden valley."
Brough and Kirkby Stephen Agricultural Show
"The Fellside Royal since 1864, a pure Eden Valley agricultural show in a remote Cumbrian village with sheepdog trials, fell races, quoits, children's fancy dress and the quiet pride of hill farming families on show."
Dufton Agricultural Show
"The 120th year of this tiny, utterly traditional Lakeland show at the foot of Helvellyn, with open sheepdog trials, foxhound and terrier judging and a fell race while the ancient sound of Cumbrian dialect fills the valley."
Patterdale Dog Day
"Since 1852 the Showfield at Grasmere has hosted Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling, fell guides racing, hound trailing and tug-of-war on the August Bank Holiday Sunday, and in 2026 entry is completely free."
Grasmere Sports
"Two September days at Crooklands, where Cumbria's livestock and rural skills are given the space they deserve, Herdwick sheep competing in the ring with the Lake District fells as the weather behind them."
Westmorland County Show
"Crabs (crab apples, thrown from a cart) in the morning, greasy pole and hound trailing through the day, and in the evening competitors push their faces through a horse collar to achieve the most grotesque expression possible, since 1267."
Egremont Crab Fair and World Gurning Championships
Villagly Award · Best Gurn in the UK ✦ Weird and Wonderful"A screen-free family festival of wild freedom and glittering wonder where woodland glades, campfires and circus turn a Cheshire estate into a storybook."
Just So Festival
"One of England's most singular calendar customs, this centuries-old West Witton rite sees a chanting crowd carry a glowing-eyed effigy of 'Bartle' through the village at nightfall before stabbing and burning him on the hillside above Wensleydale."
Burning Bartle
"An effigy is carried through the Wensleydale village to a rhyme before being burned, origins long lost."
Burning of Old Bartle
✦ Weird and Wonderful"Over a hundred concerts plus rapper, clog and Morris teams spill through a clifftop fishing town for a full week of song, dance, shanties and storytelling."
Whitby Folk Week
"A historic East Yorkshire village spreads concerts across its Civic Hall, parish church and local pubs over the Bank Holiday weekend."
Cottingham Folk Festival
"England's only festival of medieval music fills fourteenth century Bolton Castle and its church with lute, oud and bagpipe as performers explore the forgotten margins of the medieval world."
Medieval Music in the Dales