MORRIS and maypole dancing will be two very traditional English treats on offer to help celebrate St George’s Day next month.

The Maidstone Cultural Group, fresh from its successful Chinese New Year festivities in February, is to stage an afternoon of morris dancing and maypole dancing on Sunday, April 26.

The event will be one of the final celebrations being staged over four days in Maidstone town centre this year.

Maidstone Town Centre Management has organised the commemorative events, beginning on Thursday, April 23, but the town’s cultural group has also decided to step in and organise the dancing displays.

Maidstone Cultural Group chairman Morel D’Souza said: “We represent communities across the board; we don’t just represent the ethnic communities but the indigenous population as well.

“We wanted to bring morris dancing to the town because not many people get to see it and maypole dancing is something of a dying art.”

Maypole dancers will include pupils from Maidstone schools including St Michael’s Junior and West Borough Primary. They will perform in Brenchley Gardens, along with the morris dancers.

Other events include a flag-raising ceremony on Thursday, April 23, a parade of schoolchildren through the town centre and medieval fairs in Brenchley Gardens on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 24-26, as well as a parade of Scouts on Sunday.

The events are supported by the Kent Messenger.