Straw Bear Festival brightens Whittlesea with vibrant parade and traditional performances

The Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival returned on Saturday, featuring a vibrant parade in Cambridgeshire. Morris dancers, dressed in bright colors and adorned with flowers, entertained crowds despite the cold weather. The festival, which dates back to the 1880s, includes over 250 dancers and musicians. It was revived in 1980 after being banned in 1909. The event concludes on Sunday with the burning of the Straw Bear effigy, symbolizing the creation of a new bear for next year's harvest.