Hastings Jack in the Green: Everything you need to know about the 40th anniversary celebrations

Jack in the Green sees a colourful procession through the streets of the Old Town, on the may bank holiday Monday, with music and drumming groups, led by the Jack, a be-ribboned dancing tower of leaves.

Head to Hastings Museum and Art Gallery on Friday April 28 at 7.30pm to hear Jack in the Green founder Keith Leech give a talk about the origins of the famous Hastings event and how it has evolved over the years. After that, there is a folk music session at the Stag pub, in All Saints Street, from 9pm.

On Saturday April 29, Morris dance teams will be performing at Winkle Island and around the Old Town. The Rattlebag group host a sing-around at the Stag from 2pm and the evening sees the big ceilidh dance with band Frog On A Bike, at the White Rock Theatre, from 8pm.

Sunday gets underway with a Morris dancers’ service at historic St Clements Church, in Hastings Old Town. There will be dancing at The Stade open space, and around the Old Town, from 12 noon. The Copper Family will be in concert at St Clements Church from 4pm. The popular Drum Off takes place at Butlers Gap, George Street, from 4.30pm and will see drumming groups battling it out.

Singer Lisa Knapp will be in concert at St Clements Church from 7.30pm on the Sunday and there is a music session at The Albion pub, George Street, with The Big Squeeze, from 7.30pm.

Monday May 1 is the big day of the weekend with the procession taking place. For early-risers there is dancing at dawn and a celebration on the Ladies Parlour, West Hill, from 4.45am. You can join Morris dancers for breakfast in St Clements Church from 7.30am. The Jack will be released from the Fishermen’s Museum, in Rock-a-Nore Road, at 10.15pm when the big procession will get underway. It follows a route up All Saints Street, down the High Street then up The Croft to the West Hill green. The procession will break in the high street at 11.30am, before continuing to the West Hill.

Milton Hide will be performing on the West Hill stage from 12 noon. The slaying of the Jack, to release the spirit of summer, will take place at 4pm and leaves from the Jack will be handed out to bring luck.

The Green Lady will be making another appearance this year and you can come along and add greenery and special messages to her wooden skirt frame. She will be at Hastings Museum this week until April 28, you can add greenery when she appears at The Stade from noon on Sunday April 30.

There will be a craft fair, with local makers, and a wide variety of food stalls, on the West Hill on the Monday afternoon.

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