Jack in the Green: Keeping Folk Traditions Alive in Bristol

/ ghostcatcherireland

A Springtime Wander into Another World

This May, I found myself caught up in something a little bit more magical than normal. I had just popped out for a walk into town when I heard the distant rattle of drums and the jingle of bells coming up the hill. Within moments, a leafy figure emerged around the corner; towering, green, and utterly hypnotic. Behind him came dancers, musicians, people in leafy crowns and cloaks, dogs wearing garlands, children skipping to the beat.

(Image: Bristol Jack in the Green. Source: ©E.Holohan 2025)

This was an encounter with the fascinating character, Jack in the Green. It passed right through my neighbourhood in Bristol, and for a while it felt like the city had been transported into a more ancient, greener version of itself.

There is something about this May festival that pulls at something deeper. In a world full of deadlines and distractions, encountering a celebration like this, which is full of colour, laughter, and ancient spirit, feels like stepping through a portal into another time.

So, what exactly is Jack in the Green? Where did it come from, and why does it still feel so relevant?

What Is Bristol’s Jack in the Green Festival?

Jack in the Green is a celebration of the coming of summer, rooted in old English folk traditions. It centres around a tall, leafy figure known as the Jack, who is completely clad in greenery. Think walking hedge, with just a hint of face peeking out, crowned in flowers and leaves.

Each year, on the first Saturday in May and around the May Day holiday, the Jack makes his way through parts of Bristol in a lively procession of dancers, drummers, musicians, and revellers all dressed in green.

This year, the Jack began at the historic harbourside and the procession made its way through the centre and up via Kingsdown, Cotham and Redland, winding along the streets, picking up curious onlookers as it passed. Jack’s attendants even painted onlookers’ noses green as they passed by, which is said to bring them good luck this summer. I was lucky enough to get myself a green nose too!

Eventually, the parade ended in a local park in Horfield. Here, Jack’s attendants delighted onlookers with dancing and reciting Jack’s poem. Here, sadly, Jack finally died, marking the end of spring and the start of Summer. After dancing through the streets and meeting city folk, Jack brought the Summer to Bristol, but now rests in peace until next year. Finally, onlookers took foliage from Jack’s body for good luck and to celebrate the long-awaited arrival of summer.

This festival is not just something to watch; it’s very much something to join in. People dress up, paint their faces green, bring tambourines or whistles, and dance beside complete strangers. It’s joyful, chaotic, and full of heart. And it belongs to Bristol.

The History of Jack in the Green

Although it feels ancient, Jack in the Green actually has roots in the 18th century. It grew out of May Day traditions among chimney sweeps, milkmaids, and other working-class people in London and elsewhere.

In those days, May Day was one of the rare holidays working people had. Chimney sweeps would parade through the town with music and garlands, collecting money and celebrating the return of warmer days. This served an important function for the sweeps in particular, who would need this money over the summer when they’d have little income. Over time, these garlands evolved into something bigger and bolder: a full figure made of foliage, worn by someone dancing through the crowd.

(Image: The 1795 engraving of a Jack in the Green, London. Source: CC BY-SA 3.0)

By the early 20th century, however, these celebrations had mostly faded. Victorian attitudes were snobbish about anything too rowdy, and folk customs began to disappear in favour of a more sanitised versions of British traditions.

It was not until the 1970s, when there was a broader revival of interest in folk music and traditions, that Jack in the Green began to return. Hastings was one of the first to bring it back in a big way, and other towns and cities, including Bristol, followed their lead.

Here in Bristol, the tradition was revived in the 1990s, thanks to local folk groups and performers who saw value in reclaiming this little piece of seasonal magic. Local groups have helped shape the festival into what it is today; a brilliant blend of history, creativity, and local pride.

Possible Pagan Roots and Green Man Magic

While Jack in the Green as we know it is not thousands of years old, it carries hints of much older beliefs. Many see links to the Green Man, who is a symbol you find carved in stone in churches across Britain and Europe. He is usually depicted as a face surrounded by leaves, often with greenery sprouting from his mouth. The Green Man is a symbol of nature, rebirth, and the never-ending cycle of the seasons.

There is also a strong seasonal connection to Beltane, the old Celtic festival that marks the start of summer. Celebrated around the first of May, Beltane was all about fertility, fire, and celebrating the land waking up after winter. Modern Jack in the Green processions are not direct continuations of those rites, but they certainly share the same spirit of honouring growth, community, and the turning of the year.

(Image: Norwich Cathedral cloisters, roof boss. Source: CC0.1.0 Univeral)

When you see the Jack dancing through the city streets, surrounded by bells and drums, it feels like something ancient stirs. You don’t need to believe in anything mystical to sense it; it’s there in the beat of the drums, the greenery and the joy.

Why We Still Need Jack in the Green

In a time when most of us spend our lives staring at screens, racing from one task to the next, a festival like this offers something rare: connection to place, people and nature. Jack in the Green reminds us of the things we often forget. That the seasons change. That we can share a laugh or a dance with a stranger and feel like we belong.

It brings people together with no barriers; just colour and music, and a shared moment. Children wave at the Jack like he’s a forest giant from a fairytale. Adults clap along and walk around with painted green noses. There’s space for everyone.

Let’s also not forget the symbolism. A figure made entirely of greenery parading through a modern city feels especially meaningful in an age where the natural world is under threat. The Jack becomes more than just a character; he is a reminder of what we stand to lose, and why it’s worth celebrating and protecting.

A Few Thoughts Before the Leaves Fall

As I walked home from my encounter with Jack in the Green with my painted green nose, the sounds of bells and drums fading behind me, I couldn’t help but smile. It wasn’t just about seeing something fun. It was about being part of something. Something old and new, silly and sacred, and wild and gentle all at once.

Bristol’s Jack in the Green is not trying to be trendy. It’s not polished or perfect. But it has a spirit, and in a world that often feels rushed and rootless, that’s exactly what we need more of.

Fancy Joining Next Year?

If you are in or near Bristol come next May, I would wholeheartedly recommend seeking out the Jack. Wear something green. Bring a rattle, a ribbon, or just yourself.

You can find updates from the organisers on: https://www.bristoljack.info/home

These traditions survive when people take part. So, let’s keep them alive because they bring joy, meaning, and magic to our everyday lives.

(Image: Lucky Green Noses. Source: ©E.Holohan 2025)

If you’d like to learn more about Bristol Jack in the Green, please check out the following documentary by Nicola Explores, “Bristol Folklore and Ritual: inside the Jack in the Green May Day Mayhem”

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