Weird fertility dance where villagers dress up with animal horns and parade around the streets

Dancing Trousers

A traditional fertility dance where people don horns and parade through the streets of an East Staffordshire village is back.

The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance attracts attention from far and wide for the unusual nature and tradition which sees people making their way through the streets with animal horns on their heads.

The event was officially cancelled last year due to covid but the dance was still carried out to keep the tradition alive – but visitors, who usually pack out the village, were told to stay away due to covid concerns.

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However, now there is some good news. The Horn Dance is back and people can once again line the streets to watch the strange event. With restrictions now easing, those who watch the dance can wear a mask if they want to but this is optional.

It will be held on Monday, September 6, from 8am and organisers shared the exciting news on social media after people had got in touch to ask what was happening this year.

A spokesman said: “Many of you have already privately and some publicly contacted us to enquire whether the dance is on this year.

“It is with great pleasure I am able to say that YES!! The Horn Dance of Abbots Bromley has the go-ahead for Monday 6th of September.

“We are all very excited to return to some semblance of normal (I know we aren’t “that” normal) and this event will hopefully help mark that.

“Please feel free to wear a mask if you so desire but as government restrictions have been lifted, this is a personal choice.

“We look forward to seeing all your faces bright and early (08:00) at St Nicholas’ Church.”

The ancient fertility dance sees six men carrying reindeer antlers to dance through the streets of Abbots Bromley.

The Horn Dance is a big part of the East Staffordshire calendar after it was first recorded as having taken place in 1226, but many historians believe it is even older than that.

The dance takes place every Wakes Monday and sees participants don distinctive coveted outfits, grab their melodions and entertain the crowds with a special dance said to promote fertility.

Crowds usually line the streets to see the unique dance as it makes its way through the streets of the village.



With the holidays approaching, we’ve pulled together some of the best days out around the region that you can take the family on for a budget.

It’s a comprehensive guide to keeping the kids entertained through those long six weeks’ holidays. With a choice of free, under £10, under £25 and ‘blow the budget’, there’s a day out to suit everyone, for whatever they can afford.

To read the guide, click here

And if you want to be kept up-to-date with all the latest on events coming up this summer, you can sign up for free to our StaffordshireLive daily email alerts. These will come direct to your inbox, and can be signed up for here

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