St George’s Day celebration

   St. George's Day is a significant day in England, celebrated on April 23rd. Although St. George, the country's patron saint, was born in what is now Turkey and died in Palestine, he has been an important figure in English history and culture. The day has been celebrated in England since the 9th century, and by the 14th century, it was one of the most important feast days in the English calendar.

   Interestingly, St. George never visited England and wasn't a knight as often depicted. He was a Roman soldier who became a Christian martyr, executed for refusing to renounce his faith during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century. The legendary battle with a dragon, symbolizing the fight between good and evil, was added much later and became a staple in medieval lore.

   St. George's Day was particularly significant during the Middle Ages when people sought the saint's protection against diseases, including the Plague and leprosy. St. George is also the patron saint of other countries and regions besides England, including Venice, Genoa, Portugal, Ethiopia, and Catalonia.

   The day was traditionally marked by wearing a red rose in the lapel, a practice that has largely waned. It's also celebrated by Scout organizations in England as St. George was chosen as the patron saint of the Scout movement. There have been calls and campaigns for making St. George's Day a public holiday in England, but these have not yet been successful.

    The day also coincides with the birthday of William Shakespeare, making it an even more culturally significant date in England.

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So what are we going to do?  CELEBRATION PLAN

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM: Arrival and Costume Parade

We are going to encourage children to arrive dressed up as St. George, the dragon, or other medieval characters.

A costume parade around the park, with participants showcasing their creative outfits.

Voting and Award prizes for the most 3 creative costumes.

4:30 PM - 5:00 PM: Storytelling and Crafts

Craft stations where kids can make dragon puppets, St. George shields, or other medieval-themed crafts.

A coloring or drawing contest where children can illustrate scenes from the St. George story.

5:00 PM - 5:15 PM: Medieval Games and Activities

A "knight's training ground" with obstacle courses, jousting challenges, and other medieval-inspired physical activities like  tug-of-war, sack races, or three-legged races with a medieval twist.

A medieval-style scavenger hunt, with clues leading to different stations around the park.

5:15 PM - 5:30 PM: Dragon Slaying and Closing

Gather the children in the designated "dragon's lair" area and let them take turns "slaying" a felt or cardboard dragon using their cardboard swords.

Traditional English refreshments like lemonade, hot chocolate, and dragon-themed snacks provided.

Get ready to celebration

Download our free patternt to make your own cardboard Sword, cardboard Shield, choose you Heraldry amoung our options and don`t forget to make your ouw felt Dragon. All patterns you can find here.