Fri 06 Nov
|Burford Baptist Church
The Tradition of the Burford Dragon
Enjoy hearing about the history of Burford’s Dragon Tradition and how it was was revived in this illustrated talk given to mark the publication of 'The Tradition of the Burford Dragon' Perhaps you might be in the 'Walking the Dragon through the streets' pictures
Time & Location
06 Nov 2026, 19:30 – 21:30
Burford Baptist Church, Witney St, Burford OX18 4SN, UK
About the Event
To many people, The Floral Dance immediately evokes Terry Wogan and the town of Helston in Cornwall. This traditional Cornish song, celebrating the passing of winter and the arrival of spring, accompanies the Furry Dance—one of Britain’s oldest surviving customs.
Far fewer, however, associate Burford with its own midsummer tradition of “Walking the Dragon”, a ceremony whose origins similarly reach deep into the town’s earliest folklore. Long linked with midsummer revels and the Battle of Burford, the custom faded after the mid‑1600s—only to be joyfully revived by Burford School in 1971 for its quartercentenary celebrations.
To shine a brighter light on this remarkable piece of Burford’s heritage, the Tolsey Press—publishing arm of the Burford Tolsey Museum & Archive—will shortly release The Tradition of the Burford Dragon. The book offers a lively history of the procession, together with modern memories and photographs from the past fifty years. It gathers everything currently known…
Tickets
BENEFACTORS TICKET
£0.00
General Admission - Single
£4.00
+£0.10 ticket service fee
General Admission - Couple
£6.00
+£0.15 ticket service fee
Total
£0.00