by St. George is the patron saint of England and the royal family. The English flag (the white one with the red cross) is also named after him.
The patron saint was famous for battling dragons. Winston Churchill even named his WWII aircraft “Ascalon” after St. George’s lance.
You’d be hard pressed to find anything that’s more English than St. George. After all, he was a Roman soldier of Greek and Palestinian origin.
Let’s dig into St. George’s Day event ideas you can put!
1. Serve a full English breakfast
You can start St. George’s Day off right by hosting a traditional English breakfast.
Here is your shopping list…
- Bacon
- Eggs
- Sausages
- Black pudding
- Baked beans
- Tomatoes
- Mushrooms
- Toast
- Marmalade
- Tea
Need more inspiration? Look at these places putting their own spin on the Full English.
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2. Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding for lunch
If you didn’t catch people before they’ve gone off to work (when will St. George’s Day become a bank holiday?), you can do so during their lunch break.
All you need for this traditional English lunch is…
- Roast beef
- Yorkshires
- Roast potatoes
- Parsnips
- Carrots
- Peas
- Gravy
Follow up with one of these delicacies…
Need more inspiration? Check out these delicious recipes for traditional English foods.
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3. Tikka Masala dinner party
The famous Chicken Tikka Masala has been voted England’s favourite dish, and for a good reason. It was allegedly invented on these very shores.
So why not host a dinner party celebrating one of the most British dishes available?
Need more inspiration? Check out one of the many (so, so many) Tikka Masala recipes online.
4. Afternoon tea party
If you want to be genuinely patriotic, there is no better way to be that than to throw an afternoon tea party for your guests. Get out grandmother’s china and start the kettle.
What you’ll need:
- Tea (obviously)
- Tiered cake stand
- Fancy table cloth
- Homemade scones
- Clotted cream
- Strawberry jam
Need more inspiration? Read this guide on how to throw a proper afternoon tea party.
5. Pie tasting session (or a cooking class)
Another very English delicacy is the humble pie (not the idiom, but the actual pie). Why not host a pie tasting session, or teach your guests how to make a good pie from scratch?
Here are some possible pies you could involve:
- Shepherd’s pie
- Steak and ale pie
- Chicken and mushroom pie
- Mincemeat pie
- Steak and Stilton pie
- Stargazy pie
Need more inspiration? Look at these great recipes for traditional English pies.
6. Great British Bake-off
Why stick to watching the Great British Bake-Off on the telly when you can host your own version and bring some friends along?
Get out Mary Berry’s cookbook and challenge your local community to a friendly bake-off competition to see who’s got the best cakes in town.
Need more inspiration? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to host your own bake-off.
7. Gin tasting
Bombay Sapphire gin is a staple in British drinkeries, so St. George’s Day is the perfect opportunity to dig out some delicious cocktail recipes.
Invite guests over to taste a delicious Bramble or stick to classic gin and tonics. Make it more exciting by blindfolding guests and have them guess which gin is which.
Need more inspiration? Look at these gin tasting experiences around London.
8. Pub quiz
Pub quizzes are great for bringing the community together, and also an excellent way to raise funds for a noble cause. Round up the locals to challenge each other’s knowledge of England.
Here are some ideas for your pub quiz theme:
- EastEnders
- History of England
- Only Fools and Horses
- English pop music
- Cockney rhyming slang
- Geography of England
- English sport
Need more inspiration? Here is some advice on how to host a great pub quiz.
9. British music live show
St. George’s Day is also an excellent time to think back on all the great music that has come out of England, from the Beatles to Queen, to the Sex Pistols, all the way up to Adele.
Host an evening of tribute bands or put on a whole one-day festival if you want to be sure to cover the full range of genres from the British music scene.
Need more inspiration? Check out the best British bands of all time to see what acts to put on.
10. Morris dance class
The Morris dance is a traditional English folk dance that can be traced all the way back to the 1400s. It has become so popular that you’ll find Morris dance groups all over the world.
St. George’s day is a good opportunity to teach this dance to your students if you’re running a dance class. You might need to invest in the right outfit, however.
Need more inspiration? Read this tutorial on how to do the Morris dance.
11. Punch and Judy show
If you want to organise an event geared towards younger audiences, why not put on a Punch and Judy show?
If you know anyone who’s good with drums and pan pipes, make sure they come along to provide the right background music for the play.
Need more inspiration? Read this in-depth tutorial on the history and practice of Punch and Judy.
12. Jousting
Remember the lance we mentioned earlier? It’s time to bring it back into the conversation. Why not organise a good old-fashioned jousting tournament?
Sounds dangerous? That’s because it is. But an easy way to comply with health and safety is by not involving real horses or lances.
Need more inspiration? See how the real thing is done at Hever Castle.
13. Town crier contest
Oyez, oyez! Hear ye, hear ye! In the days before social media, the Internet, the printing press, and literacy in general, town criers were the way to get news out to the people.
Today, everyone’s a town crier on Twitter, but nothing beats the real deal. Host your own town crier contest and see who’s the best at getting the news out.
God Save the Queen
Hopefully, you’re now well prepared to celebrate the patron saint of England with these St. George’s Day event ideas.
Invite everyone over for some pie and mash, top it off with some black tea, and then go down to the pub.
Happy St. George’s Day!