Parades And Mummers Play To Bring Winter Magic Back To West Cumbria
Parades, music, food and traditional storytelling will bring communities together when the Midwinter Hullabaloo returns to West Cumbria in February 2027.
The festival will take place in Cleator Moor on Friday, February 5, followed by celebrations in Egremont on Saturday, February 6. Organised by Handpicked Productions, the event draws inspiration from historic winter customs and aims to create a shared celebration during the darkest months of the year.
The programme will feature an opening parade, an original musical score and a specially written Mummers Play. The performances will combine local stories, folklore and community creativity, offering residents an opportunity to enjoy familiar traditions in a fresh and engaging format.
The event follows the first Midwinter Hullabaloo, held in January 2026. That celebration involved 851 people across the wider project and attracted around 150 attendees to its performances, providing organisers with encouragement to develop the festival further.
New funding from Arts Council England, Cleator Moor Town Council and ISH is supporting the return of the event. The backing will help the creative team work with schools, community organisations and local residents to prepare the celebrations and develop activities in the months leading up to February.
Handpicked Productions is working with Moresby School, Montreal School, Dischord Choir, young people's group Art Gym and family creative group SumArt To Do. Their involvement is intended to ensure that the festival reflects the experiences and creativity of people living in the communities taking part.
A series of creative workshops will give families and residents the chance to help make items for the opening parade. The first workshop is planned for Saturday, November 28, during the Cleator Moor Christmas lights switch-on, with further sessions scheduled in Egremont and Moresby during the new year.
The workshops will allow participants to contribute directly to the visual identity of the celebrations. Handmade decorations and creative pieces will help bring the parade to life, while giving residents an opportunity to work alongside artists and other members of their community.
Organisers will also issue a call-out for professional musicians and actors over the coming weeks. The recruitment process will help build the performance team and bring additional creative talent into the production as preparations gather pace.
The creative team includes director Frederic Wake-Walker, composer Anna Pool, writer Emma McGordon, designer Janice Murray and producer Anne Timpson. Debbie Graham is overseeing design and marketing, bringing together the different elements needed to deliver the programme.
The Mummers Play will form a central part of the festival. This traditional style of folk performance has been adapted for the project through an original story inspired by local places, people and shared experiences. Combined with music and parade activities, it will help create an event that connects cultural heritage with contemporary community life.
Anne Timpson, director of Handpicked Productions, said the response to the first Hullabaloo had been extremely encouraging. She described how people of different ages had come together to make things, sing and perform, creating an experience that felt rooted in the communities involved.
She also expressed enthusiasm about developing the event in 2027, with the longer-term ambition of making the Hullabaloo an annual tradition. Organisers hope it will become something that local families look forward to and that future generations can continue to enjoy.
Tickets for the celebrations will cost £8 per person or £30 for a family of four. The price includes access to the opening parade, food and performances, while discounts will be available for participating schools and community performers.
The return of the festival is intended to give West Cumbrian residents an opportunity to come together during winter through creativity, music and shared experiences. By involving schools, families, performers and community groups, organisers hope to build stronger connections and establish a distinctive local celebration.
Further information about the festival, workshops and ticket arrangements is available through Handpicked Productions at www.handpickedproductions.org.
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