Twelfth Night – January 9

On Sunday January 9 2016, the Mill Race Folk Society celebrates the end of the Christmas season with Twelfth Night, an evening of traditional music and dance. Refreshments will be provided and there will be a cash bar. Advance tickets are $15.00 online HERE, $20.00 at the door. As this event regularly sells out so it is better to purchase your tickets early.

The festivities will include English folk dancing by Orange Peel Morris and Oakville Ale & Sword Dancers; “St. George and the Dragon”, a traditional Cornish Mummers Play by Orange Peel Morris and pub carols from South Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Local band, The Tethera Quintet will set the mood for the evening, and Relative Harmony from Guelph will host an English Country Dance. Old Father Christmas will be in attendance in the role of Master of the Revels, accompanied by The Green Man. Costumes and fancy dress are encouraged – the more extravagant and fantastic, the better!

Twelfth Night is a revival of one of the oldest celebrations in the western world. Known in ancient Rome as Saturnalia, the twelve day festival celebrated the Winter Solstice. In Christian times, it became the Twelve Days of Christmas. Beginning on Boxing Day, the Twelve Days of Christmas consisted of dancing, feasting, music and merriment. It was the origin of today’s Christmas holidays and Twelfth Night, the last and greatest night of the festival was regarded as the culmination of all the season’s celebrations. In the courts of the English Kings and Queens it was regarded as much more important than Christmas Day and was celebrated with dancing, feasting and elaborate Court Masques, These Masques consisted of fancy dress parties with dancing, fireworks and elaborate theatrical productions. The common people celebrated much more simply, according to their means, but with the same enthusiasm and abandon. It was an important holiday up until colonial times in the early Americas, but has since become largely forgotten. Revivals of this celebration are occurring today in both Britain and the USA.

Twelfth Night – An Ancient Midwinter Celebration
Saturday January 9, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.
The United Kingdom Club of Cambridge, 35 International Village Drive, Cambridge
Tickets: $15.00 online HERE, $20.00 at the door