St George’s Day is approaching and, as ever, it’s the opportunity to celebrate all that is quintessentially English, from Sunday roasts to village greens to singing Jerusalem, to incessant rain to our wealth of excellent cheeses.
So here’s a look at this year’s festivities, and a bit of a dive into why we celebrate the day of England’s dragon-slaying patron saint.
What is St George’s Day?
Despite the warrior saint being our own patron, he wasn’t actually English. He was born in the third century in Cappadocia, what is modern day Turkey. And nor did he visit these shores. Nonetheless, word of his Christian martyrdom inspired us to adopt him.
A soldier in the Roman army, he refused to denounce his Christianity in the fourth century, and was executed for his trouble, during the persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian. He was canonised by Pope Gelasius in AD 949 and kings such as Edward I and III popularised his story, adopting the George cross emblem and making the date of his martyrdom a feast day.
He’s not just England’s patron saint either. His notoriety means he’s celebrated in cities and countries including Bulgaria, Georgia, Portugal, Romania, Cáceres, Venice, Genoa, Ethiopia and Alcoy and the regions of Bavaria, Aragon and Catalonia in Germany and Spain too.
When is St George’s Day?
St George’s Day is celebrated on the same day every year, April 23, the date of his execution, rather than the day of his birth. This year it falls on a Sunday, handy if the traditional roast is the manner in which you plan to mark it.
What’s happening in Manchester for the St George’s Day celebration?
The annual St George’s Day parade will be happening this Sunday. Assembling at Varley Street in Miles Platting (M40 8BS), it departs at around 12pm, before heading off on a 2.5 mile route through the city.
There will be everything from horse-drawn carriages, open-top buses and military vehicles to the usual convoy of scooters heading into town, with the Lord Mayor of Manchester usually at the front of the procession. Along the way, there will also be comedians, dancers, local community pipe and brass bands and theatre performers doing turns to entertain the crowds, as well as collections for related charities.
The Scouts and Guides will be marching too, as well as the British Manchester Terrier Society.
It’s free to attend, and you can contact the parade organisers if you want to walk the route as part of the procession too.
Where can you watch the St George’s Day parade?
You can plot up anywhere along the route of the parade, as it leaves Miles Platting, heading down Oldham Road towards Piccadilly Gardens, where it usually arrives around 12.45pm, taking in Newton Street, Dale Street and Stephenson Square along the way.
The parade then heads back up Newton Street, through Ancoats and Great Ancoats Street before returning back up Oldham Road to its start point at Varley Street for around 2.30pm. There will be entertainment continuing in Piccadilly Gardens too from 3pm.
READ MORE:
Manchester tea rooms named among most Instagrammable in the whole world
Farm bosses buzzing after Molly-Mae and Tommy Fury drop by with baby Bambi
'I tried a lounge at Manchester Airport and couldn't believe what I got for the price'
The village 'that's an escape from the real world' - and is just 90 minutes from Manchester
'I found some of Manchester's most exciting food in a backstreet café with a wonky roof'
