Annual Whitworth rushcart parade

Date published: 08 September 2023

The Whitworth rushcart celebrations were a resounding success on Sunday 3 September.

The procession left from Whitworth Museum featuring numerous traditional morris and other dance troupes (including the famous Britannia Coconutters, Thieving Magpie, AzKabile Tribe and the Whitworth Morris Dancers) led by the rushcart itself. 

People came out in their droves to support the return of this popular event.

Whitworth’s rushcart history goes back hundreds of years; initially the celebration was linked into the cutting and collection of rushes to be strewn on the bare earth or stone-flagged floor of the church as a form of insulation for the winter to come, taken to the church on the cart. 

Out of this grew a celebration which was enjoyed by the whole community. 

In the 1970s and 1980s, the rushcart was the highlight of the Whitworth Fair week; in recent times, the week-long festivities have passed into history, however, the popularity of the rushcart itself in Whitworth is strong. 

The rushcart now takes place on a Sunday afternoon each September rather than its traditional Friday night slot, and has become more family-focused.

This year, Whitworth Town Council's Tourism and Leisure Committee had the help of a team of volunteer marshals to help ensure the parade could take place safely. 

A spokesperson for the town council said: "This event would not be possible without our community coming together and it is events like this that show why Whitworth really is a great place to live.

"Organisers wish to thank all our dancers and volunteers who made this event the success it was."

All photos with kind permission from Mike Bisson.