Suggestions for things to do outside London in July 2019.
My regular look ahead to events happening next month that would probably be in my events guide, if only they weren’t happening outside the psychological barrier of the M25 motorway.
| Whalton Baal Fire | 4th July |
| Whalton is the only village since 1903 to have maintained the ceremony which is a relic of the round of seasonal fires with which the ancients greeted the progress of the sun through the year. | Whalton, Northumberland |
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| Norwich Lord Mayor’s Celebrations | 5th-7th July |
| Several days of celebrations culminating in a float parade and festival on the Saturday. | Norwich, Norfolk |
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| Hat Fair | 5th-7th July |
| Named after an ancient fair, it is now a street arts festival lasting several days. | Winchester, Hampshire |
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| Bodmin Riding and Heritage Day | 5th-7th July |
| Ancient tradition where young men hunt "the beast" through the town, followed by a mummers play and procession. | Bodmin, Cornwall |
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| Oxenhope Straw Race | 6th July |
| The Oxenhope Straw Race takes place every summer in the Pennine village of Oxenhope, near Keighley. It was started by two men who made a bet about racing from one pub to the next carrying a bale of straw. | Oxenhope, West Yorkshire |
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| World Tin Bath Championships | 6th July |
| This event is, as it sounds, a race around the harbour in strictly regulated tin baths, some of which may be less than seaworthy. | Castletown, Isle of Wight |
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| Brighton Kite Festival | 6th July |
| Free kite festival carried out on the outskirts of the town. | Brighton, East Sussex |
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| Bradwell Pilgrimage | 6th July |
| Annual procession by the local congregation to the remote and ancient church of St Thomas. | Bradwell on Sea, Essex |
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| Ambleside Rushbearing | 6th July |
| This is a festival celebration associated with the ancient custom of annually replacing the rushes on the earth floors of churches | Ambleside, Cumbria |
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| Chalking the White Horse | 6th-7th July |
| Help to bash fresh chalk into the 3,000 year old white horse to keep it clean and fresh. I’ve done it. | Uffington, Oxfordshire |
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| Heddington & Stockley Steam Rally | 6th-7th July |
| The Heddington and Stockley Steam Rally has been an annual event for the past 45 years, with a few exceptions. Exhibits include vintage traction engines in full steam, miniature steam, stationary engines, tractors, classic cars, motor cycles and bygones. | Calne, Wiltshire |
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| Wenlock Olympian Games | 6th-14th July |
| The 133rd Olympic games preserving the ideals of Dr William Penny Brookes – the inspiration for the modern Olympic Movement. | Much Wenlock, Shropshire |
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| Pontefract Liquorice Festival | 7th July |
| Sweet lovers can enjoy a tempting array of liquorice food and drink while browsing the food, craft and gift stalls at the street market. | Pontefract, West Yorkshire |
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| Hinckley Soap Box Derby | 7th July |
| The 10th year for this event attracts entries from a multitude of both wacky and smart machines. | Hinckley, Leics |
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| Marston Moor Battle Commemoration | 7th July |
| Annual gathering at the battle memorial by reenactors from the Sealed Knot | Long Marston, Yorkshire |
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| Holsworthy Pretty Maids | 10th July |
| Annual ceremony where a local lady is presented with an annual income from a bequest left in 1841. | Holsworthy, Devon |
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| John Clare Cushion Ceremony | 12th July |
| Local school children lay "cushions" of flowers at the grave of the local famous poet, John Clare – other festivals take place over the weekend. | Helpston, Northamptonshire |
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| Black Cherry Fair | 13th July |
| Around 100 stalls, parades and fairground funfair. | Chertsey, Surrey |
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| Stroud Brick Throwing and Rolling Pin Throwing Competition | 13th July |
| Annual event held in July between the four townships of Stroud in the world – in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia. | Stroud, Gloucestershire |
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| World Pea Shooting Championships | 13th July |
| The 49th annual festival that takes place on the village green along with local village fete. | Ely, Cambs |
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| Tewkesbury Medieval Festival | 13th-14th July |
| Thousands of re-enactors will travel from all round the world to help re-create the Battle of Tewkesbury of 1471. | Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire |
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| New Milton Pedal Car Grand Prix | 14th July |
| An idea from France – pedal car racing around the town. The races now attract in excess of fifty cars and crowds of "tifosi" numbering many thousands. Teams range from talentedracers to enthusiastic pub teams, ladies teams and juniors. | New Milton, Hampshire |
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| Swan Upping | 15th-19th July |
| Annual ceremony to count the Swans along the Thames, part tradition and part serious conservation effort. | River Thames |
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| Tweedmouth Feast | 18th July |
| The event celebrates the salmon fishing that was once a common sight on the River Tweed. Its origins date back to the 12th century festival of St Boisil. | Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland |
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| Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival | 19th-21st July |
| Debates and discussions from a Trade Unionist perspective at the festival named after the famous "martyrs" to the labour movement. | Tolpuddle, Dorset |
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| The Royal International Air Tattoo | 19th-21st July |
| The worlds largest air show – trade and for the public. | Fairford, Gloucestershire |
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| Thames Traditional Boat Rally | 19th-21st July |
| Two days of displays of around 200 traditional and restored vintage boats on the Thames | Henley on Thames, Oxon |
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| World Snail Racing Championships | 20th July |
| For more than 25 years the World Snail Racing Championships have taken place snails "racing" on a table. | Kings Lynn, Norfolk |
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| Pilton Green Man Day | 20th July |
| Local fete with a medieval theme that dates from the 14th century with an ancient Green Man and Prior ritual. | Barnstaple, orth Devon |
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| The Eckford Sweet Pea Society’s 30th Annual Show | 20th-21st July |
| Blooms of both Victorian and Modern varieties on display at the birthplace of the modern sweet pea. | Shrewsbury, Shropshire |
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| Eyemouth Herring Queen Festival | 20th-28th July |
| Crowning of a fete Queen to mark the annual "fishermans picnic" that is now a town-wide event. | Eyemouth, Scottish Borders |
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| Hot Pennies Day | 23rd July |
| The ceremony dates back to the 13th Century, when pennies were handed out to the poor. The reason behind the pennies being thrown hot, was that the affluent people who threw out the pennies took great delight in seeing the peasants burn their fingers whilst collecting them. Nowadays the pennies are merely warm. | Honiton, East Devon |
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| Ebernoe Horn Fair | 25th July |
| Historic fair with its own special traditions, including the annual cricket match and the singing of the Horn Fair Song. Takes place on St James’s Day each year – it’s traditional. | Ebernoe, Sussex |
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| Game Fair | 26th-28th July |
| Te best that the British countryside has to offer including a host of features, new competitions, and plenty to get involved in from shooting to shopping, fishing to real food, dogs, horses, gardens and more | Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire |
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| Marldon Apple Pie Fair | 27th July |
| The Marldon Apple Pie Fair has been going since 1888 in memory of local farmer, George Hill, who would use his windfall apples to bake an enormous apple pie for the village. Nowadays, locals and visitors alike join in the celebrations. | Marldon, Devon |
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| World Nettle Eating Championship | 27th July |
| Competitors are served 2-foot stalks of stinging nettles from which they pluck and eat the leaves. After an hour the bare stalks are measured and the winner is the competitor with the greatest accumulated length of nettles. | Marshwood, Dorset |
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| Brinsley to Greasley Coffin Walk | 28th July |
| The walk commemorates the journey that Brinsley families had to take to bury their loved ones when the nearest burial ground was Greasley Churchyard some 3 miles away. | Brinsley, Nottinghamshire |
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| The New Forest Show | 30th July -1st Aug |
| The show attracts, on average, 95,000 visitors every year and brings together a celebration of traditional country pursuits, crafts, produce and entertainment. | Brockenhurst, Hampshire |
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Just to say the Game Fair is at Hatfield House this year not Blenheim Palace