Colchester Morris is celebrating its 100th birthday with a city-wide celebration in Colchester, Essex, on Saturday 27 June 2026. The group has organised a special Day of Dance to mark the centenary, inviting several other teams from across the region to perform throughout the city centre. This celebration marks a full century since the club was first established in 1926, making it one of the oldest active groups in the country.
The festivities will start at 10am with dance displays appearing at various popular spots across the city. The day will end with a large display at the Bandstand in Castle Park at 4pm, where more than 100 dancers and musicians will perform an hour-long show together. According to Visit Colchester, the performances are free for everyone to watch and are designed to be a colourful event for all ages.
The group performs in the Cotswold style, which involves traditional white clothing, bells, ribbons, and the use of sticks or handkerchiefs as props. They are affiliated with The Morris Ring, which is the oldest national organisation for this type of dance in England. This form of folk dance is one of the oldest in the country, with historical records of performers in London dating back as far as 1448.
This upcoming anniversary follows a successful recruitment effort in January 2025 where nearly 40 people attended a workshop at the local arts centre to learn traditional steps like Brighton Camp. The growth in the local group mirrors a national trend, with census figures showing that more women now take part in the tradition than men for the first time in history. The club continues to meet for regular practice sessions at Mile End Methodist Church on Nayland Road in the Mile End area.
The centenary event is expected to be a major highlight for the local community and celebrates a tradition that has been part of rural festivals since the 17th century. Spectators are encouraged to visit the different locations to see the various styles of dance on display throughout the morning and afternoon. Members of Colchester Morris hope the celebration will encourage more residents to take an interest in preserving this historical part of English culture.
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