A Place to Gather…
Something storied this way comes....a place to gather and tell stories, to share colloquial quirks, to dance with bells around the ankles, to sing along with melodies lost in time.
Come along and get involved with our curated events for your seasonal delight!
Upcoming events
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Queer Ecology Re-Wylding Parade (with Kirsty Badenoch)
Sunday 20th July // 11am - 3pm
Tickets £24 (concessions available for access/groups)
Join us for a day of shapeshifting wyldness, as we get creative and celebrate the weirder, wonkier ways of queer folklore! Create a character to join us in Colchester’s Pride Parade!
11:00 - 13:00 Masquerade workshop
13:00 - 13:30 Re-wylding Parade
13:30 - 15:00 Picnic
As part of our month of events celebrating queer folklore, we'll be immersing ourselves in fables and fantasy, telling tall tales of trees, re-connecting with our inner beasts, and temporarily rewilding the streets and parks of Colchester.
From 11am, a magical masquerade workshop will invite you to get creative in our beautiful garden. We'll be sharing mythic tales and introducing traditions of carnival, drag and folklore costumery, to inspire your crafty transformation into a magical, mythical being of the wylds.
At 1pm we'll gather together, a gaggle of wyld beings ready to rewild the town! Our parade will lead slowly through the local streets and parks of Colchester, telling tales, inviting meditations and making monster-clamours as we go.
Finally, we'll end back at the garden for a communal picnic, sharing food, stories and experiences with friends new and old. You'll be invited to explore the garden using cards from "A Common Way: A Walking Tarot of the Wild Ways of the Woods", enacting meditative and playful acts of care for the natural world.
This is a day for everyone – children and pets, grannies and grandpas, fresh-found lovers and the broken-hearted needing a hug, walking trees and tiny forest spirits - all identities and genders, human and more-than-human are welcome. Bring your spirit of adventure, bright clothes and/or a wyld costume if you dare! Art materials will be provided, but feel free to bring any of your own if you like!
These workshops are connected to our celebration of Queer Folklore.
The Minories Garden is a wheelchair accessible space.
We have a limited number of access tickets available for individuals who would like to attend but need support. We also have a discount code for group bookings of 3 people or more. Email us at eastanglianfolklorecentre@gmail.com for details.
Please note: The picnic food is not included in workshop. We are working on a bookable food offer with the wonderful Commons Cafe but you are welcome to bring your own food along.
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Down by the Water: Fluid Folklore
Friday 25th July // 7pm doors.
Tickets £12
Join us for an evening of stories, talks and song all centred around folk lore, characters and practices connected to water
Siren songs, steeped in storytelling, performed by Panama City
Artist Elinor Rowlands discusses the Biodivergent Sights & Sounds Project
Gemma and Bethan bring stories and micro-lectures connected to watery places to thrill and delight.
Shanty Singalong
Well Dressing Mini Workshop!
We are utilising a wheelchair accessible room for this event. Please contact us if you do need to use the accessible entrance so that we can make sure we are ready for you at the start and end of the event.
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Weather Lore & Folk in the Home
Friday 22 Aug // 7 PM doors.
Tickets £12
As the harvest begins to be brought in we reflect on Folk lore and practice that is closer to home. Ways of reading and predicting the weather, spirits and characters connected with the places we live and the heritage crafts and practices tied up with the homes we build for ourselves.
- Hear from some of our favourite local Heritage Craft champions about their chosen practices!
Jo (Lace Art Social)
and
Lucy (Corndolly Folklore/Straw club)
- Learn a little about Clog Morris from Colchester side AnnieMation AND have a go!
- Your hosts Bethan Briggs Miller (Eerie Essex, EAFC) and Gemma Oakley offer up Storytelling and share Folklore about our dwellings and about the weather! Expect explorations of apotropaic magic, lightning confusion, cloud theatre and house spirits!
We are utilising a wheelchair accessible room for this event. Please contact us if you do need to use the accessible entrance so that we can make sure we are ready for you at the start and end of the event.
Straw Club - Lammas
Saturday 2nd August
10:30am - 12:30pm
Come and learn how to make a Mini Grain Mother!
All materials provided
£5 suggested donation
Image - Straw Work by Lucy Hook-Child
Straw Club - Autumn Equinox
Saturday 20th September
10:30am - 12:30pm
Come and learn how to make Countryman’s Favour harvest tokens!
All materials provided
£5 suggested donation
Image - Straw Work by Lucy Hook-Child
Straw Club
Straw Club
Starting in February 2025! Join us in relaxed and fun sessions to learn how to make with straw! Suitable for curious minds of all ages.
Led by Lucy Hook-Child of Corn Dolly Folklore.
Saturday 20 September for Mabon/Autumn Equinox - Making: Countryman’s Favour harvest tokens
Saturday 25 October for Samhain - Making: Mini arrow plait broomstick
Saturday 20 December for Yule/Winter Solstice - Making: Mini wreath
Get in touch to register an interest and find out more!
* to keep costs down these events are currently expected to take place in our room upstairs. If you have an access requirement please do get in touch and we will look at arranging alternative accessible spaces.