Every year for the past five years members of Fleet Folkloric Forum have taken to the streets of Belper with their May Mares (hobby horses) in order to create a bit of May Day Mayhem during the Arts Trail. This year, we shall be introducing a few hobby donkeys too, as a prelude to the Belper 250 Donkey Derby on August 2nd. We’ll show them off in the River Gardens at 1.30, immediately after the River Wedding. Having demonstrated a bit of hobby horse dressage, we’ll give members of the public a chance to try out a hobby horse or, if they are brave enough, a hobby donkey (they are not as well-behaved as the Hobby horses)!

Friends of the Derwent grew out of Peak Extinction Rebellion. Every year we walk the length of the river in order to highlight its plight. This year we shall also be facilitating a River Wedding, during which members of the public will be invited to enter into a life-long relationship with the River Derwent. This ceremony will take place in the River Gardens at 1.00pm on Saturday 2nd May. Participants are invited to dress accordingly (something borrowed something blue, top hats and trousseaus)!