What Is Yorkshire Day?
What Is Yorkshire Day?
Here in Yorkshire — God’s Own County — we celebrate this grand day every 1st August. It’s the one day of the year when we proudly remind the rest of the United Kingdom (and the world) that this place isn’t just where we live… it’s where life is best lived. It also tends to be a warm and sunny day, so all in - a perfect day.
And if you don’t believe us, just look at the Yorkshire puddings we make, the landscapes nature has gifted us, and our legendary Yorkshire attitude — and that’s just for starters.
Why the 1st August? (The Cultured Bit…)
This took a bit of digging, but it’s worth it.
On 1st August 1759, the British “Minden” Regiments went into battle against the French cavalry. As our troops advanced, they noticed the hedgerows full of flowers and chose a pure white rose to tuck into their hats.
After a fierce battle, we sent the French packing (ey-up — tha’ did reyt grand, lads), and that white rose remained. But the story doesn’t end there…
Fast-forward to 1881 and the Childers Reforms. These reorganised the infantry regiments of the British Army. The East Yorkshire Regiment (the 15th of Foot) and others were told to adopt a badge of significance to their regiment. Naturally, they chose the white rose — and from 1881 onwards, it became the official symbol of Yorkshire.
Why 1st August? (The Simplified Bit…)
To put it simply — and in proper Yorkshire terms — our lads did summat incredibly brave at t’Battle o’ Minden.
So ever since, even though we hardly need an excuse to celebrate our beloved county, we mark the day by being an extra bit Yorkshire for a full 24 hours.
To you, this may sound dangerous but heroic. To us? “It’ll be reyt.”
What Happens on Yorkshire Day?
If you’re here on 1st August, you’ll hear and see things you’re maybe not used to — but don’t fret. Join in. You’ll have a reyt good time.
You’ll hear plenty of “Ey-Up” as we pass each other in the street.
Expect deep debates about whether “tea” means tea… or dinner.
Flat caps become even more popular than usual (and no, we don’t need an excuse).
In our legendary Yorkshire pubs, expect us to drink Yorkshire ale and insist “It were a lot better in t’olden days.”
Hear conversations that begin with “Aye, when I waz a lad…”
And of course, our brass bands — famous the world over — proudly play the music we’ve adopted as our own.
If you remember the Hovis advert, the music from it — the slow, rising brass, the lad pushing his bike up the cobbled street — well, that’s ours. Or at least, in our hearts it is.
It paints the picture of Yorkshire: fields, mills, chimneys, coal smoke, cobbles, gas lamps and grit. The music?
Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, Largo — Theme from the Hovis advert.
To you, it is a wonderful piece of music by a famous composer. To us, we feel that even though Dvořák never visited our beloved county in his lifetime, he wrote it for us. To us, it sounds like home.
So What’s Yorkshire Day Really About?
It’s simple — we like to keep things that way.
Yorkshire Day is a celebration of our accent, our history, our humour, our weather, our beautiful landscapes and, most importantly, our people.
It’s our proud ability to moan about owt and nowt while somehow remaining perfectly happy.
It’s pride — hard as steel, strong as a dry-stone wall, and deeper than our valleys.
So if you ever find yourself in our wonderful county on 1st August, lift your cuppa in the air, give a stranger an “Ey-Up”, and smile.
We’re strong and loyal folk with hearts bigger than our county.
To us, every day is Yorkshire Day — we just let the rest of the world join in one day a year!