MAY DAY 2027 (Saturday) is MIDDAY at North Parade
1st May 2027 @ 11:30 am
May Morning is celebrated on MAY 1st every year,
this year, 2027, it’s SATURDAY.
MAY DAY CELEBRATIONS start in the centre of Oxford start at Magdalen Bridge
(5.30am for) 6am,
(watch 2026 in central Oxford here)
Celebrations move from the city centre, until …
MAY DAY is MIDDAY
at North Parade
(from 12pm 
).
At North Parade Avenue we celebrate with dancing in the street from MIDDAY.
After dancing in the street
the Courtyard is available for a
maximum of 60 people, ({fire} safety)
(usually pre-booked), to let the the Morris Sides sit and recuperate after their 5am start!
The origins of the folk traditions of May Day
May Morning in Oxford is a traditional celebration of the coming of Spring and brings together Oxford’s communities to enjoy dancing, singing and revelry from around the city.
The celebrations start at 6am with the choristers of Magdalen College choir singing
from the Great Tower. Hymnus Eucharisticus was composed in the 17th century by a Fellow of Magdalen and has been sung every year from the Great Tower on May Morning.
This will be followed by the bells ringing out over the city for approximately 20 minutes.
May Morning events and activities will take place across the city including Morris sides dancing in Radcliffe Square, Catte Street, Queens Lane and Broad Street and many more.
Many bars and restaurants across the city will be open for breakfasts including eateries in the city centre and East Oxford.
For more information about events taking place across Oxford on May Morning, please visit the Oxford City Council pages.
On the OPEN MORRIS website their is a link to a video that shows Morris sides throughout the realm celebrate May Day, watch it HERE
How many different styles of Morris Traditional Dancing are there?
Wikipedia offer the following, and a page about May Day at Oxford.
