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Straw Bear Festival. Whittlesea Whittlesey Cambridgeshire UK 2008. 10.jpg |
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Straw Bear Festival. Whittlesea Whittlesey Cambridgeshire
Whittlesea, Cambridgeshire, England 12th January 2008.
The Straw Bear festival takes place on the Tuesday following Plough Monday (the 1st Monday after Twelfth Night). The Straw Bear, with the Big Bear Keeper, Rob Taylor in the bar of the Childers Social Club. The bears Driver in 2008 was Douglas Kell. A newspaper of 1882 reports that, "... he was then taken around the town to entertain by his frantic and clumsy gestures the good folk who had on the previous day subscribed to the rustics, a spread of beer, tobacco and beef".
The custom lapsed during the late 19th century, the Straw Bear appearing once more in 1909. The custom was revived in 1980. These days there is a concert on the Friday night, and on Saturday various folk festival performers from all over Britain performing around the town. The Straw Bear appears only during the Saturday before the Sunday Bear Burning ceremony.
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