Ollerton’s annual celebration of community and heritage takes place on Sunday 26th April, providing a free day of activities and entertainment for all to enjoy.
The action gets underway at 12.00pm, with St George and his henchmen leading the parade from the bus lane in Ollerton village down to the area in front of the Hop Pole Hotel. The event centres around Main Street and the surrounding area, with things to see and do in the Memorial Gardens and music and refreshments in St Giles’ Church.
Children from local schools have been busy crafting scales and wings to form a vibrant dragon which will accompany England’s patron saint on his journey, and people of all ages are encouraged to dress up, bring their own dragon creations or shields and join in the parade – the more the merrier!
As always, there will be an array of local stalls, arts and crafts and plenty of children’s activities such as storytelling, face painting and a duck race on the River Maun.
Traditional music and dance will be provided by the likes of Rattlejag Morris and the Dukeries Singers, while the Knights of Skirbeck will be setting up their encampment in the Memorial Gardens, offering visitors a chance to immerse themselves in Medieval English life. There will be demonstrations, weapons on display and perhaps the odd melee. Luckily the Sheriff of Nottingham will also be in attendance to ensure things don’t get too out of hand!
Sunflower Wellbeing will be running a visual arts project celebrating the work of writer and illustrator Kathleen Frances Barker, who was born in Ollerton and is known for her depictions of animals in children’s books including Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty. Come and have a go at making your own small craft inspired by Kathleen’s style; you can take your craft home or donate it to form part of a larger visual piece for display. This project is being run in collaboration with Notts Live & Local.
A highlight of the 2026 celebration will be the presentation of the inaugural Knight in Shining Armour Award. The nominees are unsung heroes who have been put forward by members of the community for their invaluable volunteer work, and the winner will be announced on the day.
The full programme of events is being finalised, and times will be published on the organisers’ Facebook page prior to the event – search for St George’s Day Celebration – Ollerton.