Saturday 26 August - Shrewsbury Folk Dance Festival

This family of swans on the Severn had seven cygnets to look after.

Breakfast included a croissant from the new baker which has recently opened just around the corner across from the market.  I had to get some bread as well and for that some full cream butter was obtained from the market.  I also had a fried egg and a rasher of back bacon - 1/4 inch thick.

As soon as we set out it became obvious that this was a special Saturday.  We followed the rhythmn of the drums and quickly found the Folk Dancing in the Old Market Square.  Instead of the familiar white garb of the Morris dancers these dancers were brightly clothed and heavily made up.  There were a couple of mixed groups  but it was usually men playing the music for the women or vice versa.

These are the Shropshire Bedlams.

These pictures illustrate better than words

The Shropshire Bedlams

Black and white love dance on the forecourt of St. Marys.

There were people wearing outrageous makeup and costumes jingling their was all around town  yet most people seemed to take it in their stride.  Everyone had a good time and enjoyed themselves.

We took a long walk around the Severn as far as the English bridge. There were a lot of people out and several dogs were swimming in the river.