Known as the Tar Barrel Festival (spelled tar bar'l locally), this spectacular fire festival is the perfect event to celebrate New Year's Eve in Northumberland. Believed to have started in the Middle Ages, the village hosts an incredible fire ceremony that involves a procession of men carrying blazing tar and wood shavings through the market square before igniting a large bonfire. Why not try something new this New Year's Eve?
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Located within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Allendale is a village in south west Northumberland approximately 34 miles from Newcastle upon Tyne.
If visiting on New Year's Eve, parking will be limited near the market place and it is likely you'll find parked cars leading up to nearby Catton. Allow plenty of time to walk in towards the festivities.
Fun fact: The name Allendale translates to “valley of the white water” with a combination of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon words.
Leading up to the parade, locals and visitors fill the streets of the town centre from 11pm to enjoy a range of music and dancing. At 11:30pm, the torches are lit and local men in fancy dress, known as the guisers, are called upon to collect their flaming barrels. Each guiser lifts the barrel above their head and marches behind the band towards the market place.
At the stroke of midnight, the procession arrives at the main bonfire in the town centre to welcome the new year. Barrels are thrown onto the ceremonial fire as everyone shouts "be damned to he who throws last". The crowd join hands and sing Auld Lang Syne to the Brass Band to close the ceremony before heading into local pubs.
While this article focused on New Year's Eve in Northumberland, you can find a range of Northumberland trip ideas on our blog.
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