What’s On – Events Roundup, Autumn 2024

Now the dance season is over for 2024, we have put together a Morris Federation guide to the next year’s Fed events, to help you plan for 2025. Featuring a JMO Day of Dance, the first ever 18-39 Workshop Weekend, and an AGM in Sheffield (hosted by The Morris Federation and Sheffield-based teams Five Rivers, Pecsaetan, and Sheffield City Morris and friends), and along with the launch of a CD to celebrate our 50th Anniversary, this news bulletin is jam packed with everything you and your team need to make 2025 a year to remember! 

Morris Federation 50th Anniversary
Organisers Needed for Regional Events

WE NEED YOU! The Morris Federation is searching for teams who may be interested in hosting a Regional Day of Dance, to help us celebrate our 50th Anniversary in 2025. If you think your team may be interested in this, please email Drew our Secretary at secretary@morrisfed.org.uk for more information. 

Morris Federation 50th Anniversary
CD Submissions Wanted

As part of the celebrations for The Morris Federation’s 50th anniversary, we are hoping to produce another CD, and would like YOU to be a part of it!

We have a few interesting tracks already lined up but we could do with more. 

  • Have you or your side produced your own CD?
  • Do you have music available on your website or YouTube?
  • Do you have an idea for a song or tune to include?
  • Has anybody written or recorded new songs or tunes for, or about, the morris*?
  •  

If any of these apply, we would love to hear from you! Please get in touch by email to archive@morrisfed.org.uk
(*For this purpose, ‘morris’ includes all related dance styles such as sword, stave, clog, step, etc.)

Remember the 40th anniversary double album? It’s still available! If you’d like one, please contact bells@morrisfed.org.uk or check out our website at https://www.morrisfed.org.uk/merchandise/cds-books/ where you will find not only our CD, but a selection of books, badges and branded merchandise for sale, as well as many free resources available to download. 

Joint Morris Organisations' Day of Dance 2025, Stockport - 26th April 2025. Register Now!

In 2025 the day of dance is on Saturday 26th April 2025 in Stockport, Greater Manchester, hosted by Adlington Morris Men on behalf of the Morris Ring.

Adlington Morris Men sent us the following details:
“We are proud to announce that the Joint Morris Organisations’ Day of Dance 2025 will be held on Saturday 26th April in Stockport.

Adlington Morris Men are already hard at work organising what’s promising to be the biggest and best JMO yet.  The local council, shops and businesses are all pulling together to organise a full day and evening of events, and your side is invited to be part of it!

From Morris-themed family craft activities to folky fringe events, the whole of the town centre will be filled with the sound of bells throughout the day, before giving way to an absolutely free ceilidh afterparty with live band, pop-up craft beer bar and street food stalls – with ticket priority given to you!
With pubs already talking about how they can get involved (Morris Ale, anyone?) and more and more people wanting in on the action, Stockport 2025 is shaping up to be a JMO not to be missed.

We’re handily located on major railway routes and three motorways, so getting here couldn’t be easier.  There are plenty of hotels in the area if you want to make a proper weekend of it (and we’re working to arrange discounts on rooms too!)

We’ve also got a few surprises (and more freebies!) up our sleeves too.

We’re expecting a lot of interest, but it only takes a couple of minutes to register your side – just follow this link to sign up (before December 31st, please). JMO Day of Dance 2025 Registration

We’ll be in touch with registered sides with more details, but if you want to get in touch please email jmo2025@adlingtonmorrismen.com

Here’s to 2025 in Stockport!”

"Recruitment Ideas and Experiences"
An Online JMO Workshop, Live on Zoom.
November 24th 2024, 5:00pm - 6:30pm

Recruitment is always a hot topic for morris sides/teams.

The Joint Morris Organisations are hosting a panel from across all 3 morris organisations, to share their tips and experiences of what has worked well for their team/side. Each speaker will speak for around 10-15 minutes, with time for Q&A before moving on to the next speaker.

Please bring your own ideas and experiences to share, too.

Your Hosts
Five Rivers – The Morris Federation
Saddleworth Women’s Morris and Clog – The Morris Ring
Open Morris speaker to be confirmed. 

To register for this event, or to find out more, please click the buttons below. 

18 - 39 Workshop Weekend 2025
Friday 14th - Sunday 16th March 2025 in Storrington, West Sussex

You may be pleased to know that planning is underway for our 18 – 39s Workshop Weekend, aimed at the younger members of your team.  
We have now secured a venue and can confirm it is to be held in the village of Storrington, West Sussex, on the 14th to 16th March 2025 at: The Parish Hall, Thakeham Rd, Storrington, Pulborough, West Sussex, RH20 3PP

Please continue to watch this space as we will be sharing further details of this exciting event in the coming weeks. 

Ripley Day of Dance 2025
13th September 2025 in Ripley, Derbyshire

Ripley and Ripley Green Garters logos
Celebrating 100 years of Morris Dancing in Ripley

Ripley Morris in partnership with Ripley Green Garters will mark the 100th anniversary of the first recorded instance of morris dancing in Ripley which took place in 1925. Morris dancing in Ripley evolved from the Ripley Folk Dance club, formed in 1925.

A Day of Dance will take place in Ripley on Saturday 13th September 2025. The day will be run on JMO lines with sides dancing around the town. There will be plenty of opportunities for refreshment during the day, with sides catering for their own needs.

Indications of interest in attending the day are invited from all member sides of the Morris Federation, Morris Ring, and Open Morris.Individuals and side reps will also be very welcome.

To assist in planning sides are requested to indicate interest by email to ripleymorris@hotmail.com with the subject Ripley 100 by 31st January 2025.

Ripley Morris and Ripley Green Garters look forward to hearing from you and welcoming you all to a cracking Day of Dance on Saturday 13th September 2025.

The organisers may be contacted at: ripleymorris@hotmail.com

Morris Federation AGM and Day Of Dance 2025
Sheffield - Saturday 27th September

Members of The Morris Federation's Committee at St Fagan's, Cardiff, during the very successful 2024 AGM weekend, hosted by Cardiff Morris.

The Morris Federation and Sheffield-based teams Five Rivers, Pecsaetan, and Sheffield City Morris and friends extend a warm welcome to all members of The Morris Federation to join us in a day of dance on Saturday 27th September 2025, followed by The Morris Federation’s AGM at 4.30pm (4pm sign-in).

Activities may also be arranged for the Friday and Saturday nights, and more dancing on the Sunday, depending on interest.

Save the date for now, and keep an eye on our webpage for further details.

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