When do morris sides perform?

Public performances are a central part of morris dance and performance. There are key dates in the calendar that are significant for sides, but these differ between sides of different styles. There are also a range of event types that sides perform at.

​May Day is the most popular date for dancing and performing, when 43 per cent of sides regularly perform. This is highest among Border (63 per cent), Cotswold (60 per cent) and Stave (58 per cent) sides. St George's Day is another popular day for performing, with 35 per cent of sides performing regularly, including 47 per cent of Garland sides. The Early May Bank Holiday and Boxing Day are also popular dates, especially the latter for Mumming (45 per cent).

There are several key dates that are specific to one or two styles. For example, 52 per cent of Molly sides perform on Plough Monday, but few other sides apart from Longsword sides also do so. The summer and winter solstices are somewhat significant dates for Border sides, but not so much for sides of other styles.

A quarter of sides performed at events for the King's Coronation in 2023.

Sides perform at a range of different types of event. The most common for sides of all types is to perform at a pub. Performances at local shows or other public places that are not pubs, days of dance and folk festivals are also common.

The total number of engagements sides participate in throughout a typical year also varies by style. Cotswold sides are the most active, performing at 21.4 engagements per year on average. Stave and Border sides are also highly active, also performing around 21 times per year. Morris Ring sides are more active on average than sides in the Morris Federation and Open Morris. Appalachian and Clog step sides are the least active on average.