Strewth – Top ‘Aussie Clogger’ Crosses Continents for  Clitheroe Clog Dancing Jamboree

Around 10 clog dancing teams from across the UK, among them Camden Clog from London and the famous Lancashire Wallopers, will bash the boards to traditional live music on Saturday and Sunday (September 14 and 15) to win prizes and the chance for one dancer to lift the coveted Lancashire and Cheshire Championship Hornpipe Belt.

And it is expected Australian clog dancer Lee Knight will also make the 10,000-mile journey to take part in the Clitheroe Clog Fest, now in its second year.

Show dancing starts at Clitheroe Castle at 10.30am on Saturday, before moving to Clitheroe Market, Holmes Mill and the castle bandstand, culminating in a mass clog dance at the foot of the Clitheroe Castle Keep at 3pm.

The fun continues on Sunday, when Clitheroe Castle will host the 2024 Lancashire and Cheshire Clog Dance Championship. 

Competition dances will take place between 10am and noon and 2 and 4.15pm, and during breaks in dancing members of the public will be able to find out more about clog dancing from the dancers and judges.

Meanwhile, the Clitheroe Castle Museum is hosting a free-to-enter exhibition until the end of October, ‘Wooden Soles, Lively Souls’, looking at the history of clogs and the tradition of clog dancing.

The Clitheroe Clog Fest has been organised by the Oakendale clog dancing team from Rossendale, with the support of Ribble Valley Borough Council and the Clitheroe Castle Museum.

Stuart Hirst, chairman of Ribble Valley Borough Council’s community services committee, said: “Clog dancing is a traditional English activity and the Clitheroe Clog Fest is a great opportunity for people to find out more about clogs, their history, how they are made and how clog dancing has developed over the centuries, in one of Lancashire’s most picturesque market towns.”

Rachel O’Neill, of the Oakendale clog dancing team, added: “We are delighted to be returning to Clitheroe, which is the ideal location for this traditional dance form.

“Clog dancing keeps you fit, is good for your health and wellbeing, gets you out and about, and keeps our culture and heritage alive, so join us in Clitheroe this weekend for a fantastic clog fest, particularly the mass dance, which will be great fun.”

To find out more about the Clitheroe Clog Fest, phone Clitheroe Castle Museum on 01200 424568 or lancashire.gov.uk.

• Clogs are a traditional type of protective footwear with a thick wooden sole. While they are often associated locally with 19th Century Lancashire mill workers, clogs date back to Greek and Roman times and variations of the shoes are found across the world and are still popular, particularly in Europe. Clitheroe Castle Museum will be open from 11am to 4pm throughout the festival.