The streets of Whittlesey will once more become a sea of colour and noise on Saturday, January 17, as the annual Straw Bear Festival returns.
A ceilidh held at the Whittlesey Indoor Bowls Complex gets the 2026 Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival underway on the Friday, with entertainment from a live band featuring Erin Brown, James Delarre, and Barry Watson.
Your caller for the evening will be Ollie Simons.
But the fun really starts on the Saturday at 10.30am at Manor Leisure Centre, when the Straw Bear will dance through the town leading the procession, accompanied by musicians, plough boys with the plough and followed by many dance teams, making their way up Station Road and along Market Street.
Dance teams will fill the streets, dancing in various locations around the town whilst the Straw Bear continues to amble around the town. Storyteller Patrick Ryan will be in the Methodist/URC Church, with sessions at 12pm, 1pm and 2pm.
The festival finale takes place on the Market Place at 3pm, preceded by dance team performances.
On Sunday, the Straw Bear burning will take place at 12pm at the Decoy Lakes.
Ghosting@SB-Whittlesey2026.