Potted History

The Potty Festival was started by the Lobster Potties Morris dancers in 1993, by Reg Grimes the then Squire (Chairman), Clive Rayment Foreman (Dance teacher) and Penny Shepherd Bagman (Treasurer), as a way of saying thank you to the sides that had invited the Potties to visit them for a weekend of dance. So the following year in July with Briggate Morris, Belchamp and Old Bull Morris, we set forth on a coach tour of North Norfolk stopping off and dancing at various spots along the way.

The weekend proved such a success that it was decided to hold it again the following year. And so it began. Firstly in a small way inviting one or two more sides and still travelling out and about. Two years later it was decided to make it a static event along the lines of the Rochester Sweeps Festival which we had first been invited to in 1993 and had enjoyed meeting and making new friends there.

Early Days

To begin with the sides just danced in Sheringham High Street and Lifeboat Plain. We relied on donation/sponsorship from the town council and the Lobster Landlords Barry and Jill Horner to help fund the festival.

Gradually over the years the Festival has grown and grown with more sides coming along each year, including several European groups, so much so that we now also have to close and use more roads to fit everyone in.

Because of this increase we now have to restrict the number of sides we can safely have coming to the festival to about forty.

Development into a Sheringham Festival (aka Potties)

In 2013 after 27 years the Lobster Potties sadly disbanded due to the lack of dancers, but it was decided by several ex-Potties not to let the festival go the same way. A new committee was formed to keep the festival alive now headed by Clive Rayment (ex squire) as chairman. We intend to build on the experiences gained over the years.

With the help of the traders and townspeople the festival now draws a large crowd of visitors and holiday makers into Sheringham each July. Its popularity with the dancers and visitors keeps them coming back, some booking their holidays to coincide with the festival each year.

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Incredible as it may seem, 2023 was the 30th Anniversary of the Potty Festival here in Sheringham, we've come a long way since our early beginnings in 1993.

Guinness World Record 2018

To celebrate our 25th anniversary in 2018, it was decided to have a go at the Guinness World Record for the Largest Number of Dancers all doing the Same Dance at the same time. Everything was meticulously planned and the attempt took place on the Saturday morning of the Festival.  

On the 17th  September 2018, it was confirmed by Guinness that the Potty Festival with the help of 369 Morris Dancers from 33 sides, had set a new world record for the Largest Morris Dance. An amazing feat by any standard.

Thanks to everyone that helped us achieve this record.        

The Sides who took part were :-
Aald Heilpen, Alive & Kicking,  AnnieMation, Bakanalia Border, Barley Brigg, Beorma Border, Black Pig Border, Bows 'n' Belles, Briggate, Bury Fair, Crosskey Clog, Danegeld, Dark Horse Morris, Fenstanton, Fiddlesticks, Gong Scourers, Green Dragon, Holt Ridge Morris, Hoxon Hundred, Kemp's Men, Lady Bay Revellers, Little Egypt, Loose Women, Manor Mill, Peterborough Morris,
Pretty Grim, Rattlejag, Rumburgh Morris, Slack Ma Girdle, Sutton Masque, Westefelda, Wicket Brood, and Young Miscellany.

Recent Times

In 2020 and 2021 the Festival had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We are now back  up and running. The 2024 festival was a great success, in spite of the monsoon conditions, and we very much look forward to welcoming you to Sheringham on 5th and 6th July 2025!

2023 saw the retirement of Tony Chadwick (TC to almost everyone) from the festival committee, after serving for many years, most recently as Chair. His work ethic and his all round knowledge of Morris dancing and dancers is the bedrock upon which our fantastic festival is built. We hope TC can now take a back seat and enjoy the Festival without the organisational pressure. The new Chair is Mike Ray-Jones, a dancer with our host side Holt Ridge Morris.

Education

The Potty Festival is committed to promoting the tradition of Morris Dancing, Folk Dancing and Folk Music, and is expanding its educational activities in line with this objective. In January this year, the festival funded and facilitated an in-school tuition programme, which culminated at this year’s festival with our host side Holt Ridge Morris introducing “the Holt Ridge Half-Pints”, a side consisting of primary-school children that they had taught to dance Cotswold Morris. They were a great success, and we, together with Holt Ridge, are planning to bring a new children’s side in 2025.

Fundraising

We have never charged an admission fee for either participants or onlookers, and this will not change. However we do have significant expenses and unfortunately the festival has consistently made a loss in recent years (despite the very generous donations made by participants and onlookers alike). The festival committee is actively seeking potential sponsors, and has also recently launched a crowdfunding page at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/pottyfestival. If your side values our festival and has a bit of spare cash then we would urge you to consider making a donation on this page to ensure our ongoing success. Many thanks in advance.