The annual event, which attracts thousands of visitors, celebrates the long-standing tradition of carting rushes to the church. This year, the grand procession will set off from Whitworth Museum at 1pm on Sunday, September 1. It will be moving up the main road, arriving at the Ashcroft at approximately 1.
20pm, featuring traditional Morris dance groups including the Britannia Coconutters and the Whitworth Morris Men. From 1.15pm until 4.
30pm, The Ashcroft car park will be transformed into a hub of activity, with stalls, performances, food from St Bartholomew's Church, and a fair with artisan stalls in the Ashcroft main hall. There will also be rides, children's crafts, and other entertainment. A limited number of stalls are still available for the fair, with interested traders encouraged to contact The Ashcroft for a booking form.
The Whitworth Rushcart itself is a cherished tradition, being one of only four such celebrations remaining in the UK. The Tourism and Leisure Committee of Whitworth Town Council said: "Whitworth’s cart is unique in that it is the only one in the UK to be covered in beautiful local heather that is in bloom at this time of year, collected by the Whitworth Rushcart Men from the moors above Darwen , before the event; Rushcarts in the other areas are covered with rushes or tatters of cloth." The Whitworth Rushcart has a history of hundreds of years, originally linked with the collection of rushes for church insulation before evolving into a community-wide celebration.
Despite changes over the years, the Sunday afternoon festivities remain popular, now attracting about 1,500 visitors annually..
