Colchester Friday 1st May – Monday 4th May 2026
Bryn Griffiths reports on how Colchester is shaping up nicely to have a fantastic weekend of radical activities across the May Day Bank Holiday Weekend.
If you live in Colchester or North Essex there’s going to be lots to do for this weekend. It could even be worth visiting friends or booking somewhere to stay in Colchester.
Friday 1st May
Folk Sing Around: Songs of Resistance
7.30pm to 10.30 pm, The Commons Cafe C01 1UE
The weekend kicks off with a folk sing around at the Commons Café supported by Colchester Unite Against Racism, the East Anglian Folklore Centre and North Essex Transformed.
Tickets £5 from: here
Join us for an evening of singing folk and other music, building friendships and solidarity through song. We will gather in The Commons Café – an intimate venue where you’ll feel at home and ready to throw yourself into the sing-around. May Day is a long-held festival which has marked the beginning of summer since ancient times and in more recent years it has also become known as International Worker’s Day.
Never been to a sing-around before? Then read on.
What is a Sing-Around?
A Sing-Around is an event where folks get together to sing! Usually one person will lead a song, explain its history and its meaning, and those who know it will join in particularly during choruses. Often the songs are from the ‘folk tradition’, but we welcome any songs people may want to share. In keeping with May Day, expect individuals to introduce songs which celebrate solidarity between workers from all parts of the world.
Do I have to sing?
No! No one will be obliged to sing but we will make sure that everyone who wants to is given the space to. You also don’t need to be a ‘good’ singer to join in or even lead a song. You are still welcome to join even if you don’t want to sing and just enjoy the uplifting atmosphere and refreshments from The Commons.
What if I don’t know any folk songs?
There will be a song book with popular sing-around folk songs for those who don’t know the songs or might want a reminder of some classics. You will also likely find you will pick up the chorus or hook of a song after hearing it once or twice and be able to join in. We also aren’t strict on what a folk song is or isn’t! You are welcome to share any song you think people may enjoy singing together. If you’re singing an original song or one most people may not be familiar with we would encourage you to perhaps share the chorus with everyone first so they can join in. (Of course, we ask that everyone to please be conscious of remaining inclusive to everyone and avoid songs with offensive language.)
Do I have to stay the whole time?
We hope you can! But if you need to leave early or come late that’s not a problem. If you come late it might be good to check the song you want to sing hasn’t already been done.
Saturday 2nd May
Launch & Film: The Essex Ways (Director Thomas Winward). Jane’s Walk 2026.
6pm to 10pm The Commons Cafe C01 1UE
Jane’s Walk Colchester is part of a global weekend of local walks, led by local people on local themes, taking place in towns and cities worldwide, honouring the radical urbanist and activist Jane Jacobs (1916-2006). All walks are freely given.
We are delighted to be able to celebrate the opening of our 2026 Jane’s Walk Festival with a screening of this newly released film (recently sold out over two nights at the Mercury). The film follows the journeying of Man About Country, James Lawrence, on a 400 km wander around the county of his birth, recounting the experiences and stories gathered along the way.
The film is also supported by a short, pre-recorded Q & A with James, filmed when we managed to track him down remotely on his continuing travels around the UK in support of this film. With this evening in mind, various local Jane’s Walkers put their questions directly to him.
The evening includes our annual toast to Jane’s Jacobs, the festival namesake, this year given by our guest speakers, Dorian and Sheila Kelly.
There is wonderful food (veggie chilli) from The Commons kitchen and a paying bar and finally a raffle (to be drawn at the conclusion of the festival) with great top prizes:
| Brilliant Raffle Prizes 1. A year’s membership of Colchester Arts Centre. Free entry for one person to almost all events (worth £179.88) |
| 2. A year’s family membership of Beth Chatto Gardens: unlimited free entry to the gardens for a year for 2 adults and two children aged under 16 (worth £65) |
| 3. A year’s membership of Colchester Film Society (at Firstsite)/. Free entry to all films for one lucky film buff. |
| Even if you can’t make it on the night you can try and win one of the fantastic prizes here |
Sunday 3rd May 2026
Celebrate Colchester as a City of Sanctuary. Jane’s Walk 2026
2.30 pm The War Memorial, Colchester High Street.
Photo: Bryn Griffiths
In 2025, Colchester City Council was officially recognised as a Council of Sanctuary by the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network. The status recognises the council’s commitment to fostering a culture of welcome, inclusion, and integration support for people seeking sanctuary.
The idea behind this walk is to celebrate both our city’s status and the positivity our diverse community brings to Colchester. The walk will be curated by Labour Hub’s Bryn Griffiths and you can expect lots of pop-up contributions and different voices as we amble through our city. Hear historical and contemporary stories that help us understand how over the centuries our refugee and migrant communities have contributed to making our city a great place to live, learn and work.
This Jane’s Walk is in partnership with Colchester Refugee, Asylum and Migrant Action (RAMA) and Colchester Unite Against Racism (CUAR).
ACCESSIBILITY: A city centre walk that is hard-surfaced all the way and step-free. Some medium-steep gradients. Wheelchair users in need of assistance will find plenty of help on hand, but please be in touch to discuss further if necessary.
Monday 4th May 2026
The General Strike of 1926, according to the journal of Colchester teenager EJ Rudsdale. Jane’s Walk 2026.
10 am to mid-day, Colchester Castle Inside Museum Street Entrance.
Guided by readings and sketches, we will imagine Colchester one hundred years ago, during the 9-day General Strike. Also, a chance to embellish some journal drawings (bring a Sharpie and coloured pencils) and celebrate the power of collective action with Rebecca Rocket.
ACCESSIBILITY: A step-free, city centre walk, hard-surfaced all the way, but possibly with some steep gradients.
4th May 2026
Commemorating The General Strike of 1926. Trades Council
2pm Monday Headgate Theatre
Colchester Trades Council hosts a day of activities to commemorate 100 years since the General Strike.
A panel event with speakers, strike stories from the archive, interactive readings and a discussion which follows a morning walk as part of the Jane’s Walk Festival, led by Rebecca Rocket and guided by the journal entries of a teenage EJ Rudsdale (see above).
The event will include displays, information boards and book stall.
Monday 4th May
FILM: Our Land (Director Orban Wallace) and talk by Professor Colin Samson with Q & A
5pm – 8pm Curzon Colchester
A film about the Right to Roam, which asks: who has the right to access the countryside, and who controls it?
We are delighted that this year’s Jane’s Walk Colchester festival is able to be part of the 2026 UK release of Our Land. Presenting arguments from both sides, the film “charts the conflict, exploring the complex issues of access, custodianship and conservation.”
In advance of the film, it is our pleasure to welcome Professor Colin Samson, who will discuss how relationships to the land and nature have been curtailed by the establishment of exclusive private property. Drawing on the ‘Right to Roam’ movement co-founder Nick Hayes’ Book of Trespass, Colin will trace the ‘cult of exclusion’ to histories of enclosure and colonialism, ending with various proposals to reverse this loss of our common inheritances.
Tickets in advance, £10 (suggested) or pay-as-you-feel.
Buy your ticket here
Watch the trailer here. HERE
Janes Walk Festival continues
If you have any energy left after the Bank Holiday Weekend, the Jane’s Walk festival continues throughout the week and the full programme can be found here.
Bryn Griffiths is an activist in Colchester Labour Party and North Essex World Transformed. He is the Vice-Chair of Momentum. Bryn hosts Labour Hub’s spin off – the Labour Left Podcast. You can find all the episodes of the podcast or if you prefer audio platforms (for example Amazon, Audible Spotify, Apple, etc,) go to your favourite podcast provider and just search for the Labour Left Podcast or click here.
Main image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colchester_UK_locator_map.svg Source: Ordnance Survey OpenData Author: Nilfanion, created using Ordnance Survey data, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
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