Stilton Cheese Rolling: Colourful, historic festival to return seven years after being cancelled for 'not being cool'

A village near Peterborough is ‘buzzing’ after a historic festival returned to the calendar after a seven year break.The Stilton Cheese Rolling Festival was last held in 2017, when teams donned fancy dress to chase the block of ‘cheese’ down the village high street.

The traditional races had been held for 50 years – but in 2018 it was announced the event would not take place, after it was not deemed ‘cool’ enough, with few teams entering, and organisers stepping down and not being replaced.

But now the event is being revived, with a spectacular festival being planned for Sunday, May 26.

Adam Leon, one of the organisers, said: “I have lived in the village for 43 years, and it was always a massive event here. Everyone really missed it. We thought it was time to bring it back.

"When it was announced it would be held this year, everyone loved the news – the whole village was buzzing.”

The event sees teams of four rolling the ‘cheese’ (actually a block of wood) down a course, with each member having to roll the ‘cheese’ at least once.

This year’s event will see the course moved to the Pavilion in the village – and will also introduce ‘Formula One cheese rolling,’ which will see teams set up with a ‘human wheelbarrow’ through the route, which will include obstacles and chicanes.

There will also be a range of other activities being put on.

Adam said: “We will have craft stalls and fair ground rides in the village, and there will be a music tent starting at 4pm.

"It used to be held on the bank holiday Monday, but it will be on the Sunday this year to allow people a lie in.”

Details on how to enter a team in the Cheese Rolling will be revealed nearer the time, but a large number of people are expected to take part.

It is thought the event was originally held in 1959, and in its final years was often hosted by Star Wars and Harry Potter star Warwick Davis.

While it is thought Stilton Cheese was named after the village, cheese made their cannot be called ‘Stilton Cheese’ – it can only be made in a small number of dairies in Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire.