Day of Dance

Thousands Flock to Stockport for UK’s Biggest Ever Morris Dancing Celebration

Stockport town centre was transformed into a vibrant spectacle of colour, tradition and high-energy performances on Saturday, as more than 1000 Morris dancers descended for the biggest celebration of Morris dancing in the UK to date.

Tens of thousands of visitors headed to Stockport to enjoy the Day of Dance event, which was hosted by Adlington Morris Men on behalf of the Morris Ring and funded by Totally Stockport BID with support from Stockport Council and Merseyway. Footfall at Merseyway Shopping Centre soared by 25% compared to the same Saturday in 2024, making it not only the busiest week of 2025 so far, but also the busiest Saturday in Stockport town centre since 2022’s hugely popular Comicon event.

The Day of Dance, which saw dancers travel to Stockport from across the UK to take part, showcased traditional Morris jigs, high-energy folk jam sessions, impromptu dance-offs and lively street performances across four dedicated performance zones, located at Redrock & Suffragette Square, Merseyway Shopping Centre, Stockport Underbanks, and Market Place. Visitors enjoyed a spectacular parade, lively hourly performances and a show-stopping Grand Dance Finale and to round off the celebrations in true folk style, a free Ceilidh took place at St Mary’s Church.

Shaun Freeman Jones, Totally Stockport BID Manager, said: “This year’s Day of Dance totally smashed it – over 1000 Morris dancers filling the streets with colour and energy was just brilliant! You could feel the buzz everywhere and it was a fantastic boost for the town centre and our local businesses too.”

Cllr Helen Foster-Grime, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Sport at Stockport Council, said: “It was wonderful to see Stockport’s streets buzzing with life, filled with music, colour, and incredible dancing. The atmosphere was fantastic and it was great to see people of all ages coming together and enjoying themselves. A big thank you to everyone who took part and helped create such a joyful and memorable day!”

Victoria Nichol, Centre Manager at Merseyway, said: “The atmosphere in Merseyway on Saturday was absolutely amazing. The 25% uplift in footfall compared to last year shows just how popular this event was. It was wonderful to see families and communities coming together to celebrate such an iconic tradition – and we’re proud that Merseyway could be at the heart of it all.”

Rob Tidy from Adlington Morris Men said: “What an amazing day!  More than 1000 Morris dancers descended on Stockport from across England and Wales – some from our own cobbles, and some from over 200 miles away! As well as the 60+ visiting sides, thanks have to go to Stockport Council, Totally Stockport, Merseyway, and all the local businesses and volunteers for their enthusiasm and for helping to make the day such a roaring success.”