Town Events
ARMED FORCES DAY - 30th June 2012
CARNIVAL - Saturday 27th October 2012
CHARTER DAY - 28th July 2012
HOT PENNIES DAY - 24th July 2012
ARMED FORCES DAY 30th JUNE 2012.
A twenty-four hour vigil will be held at Honiton's war memorial outside St. Paul's Church, Honiton to mark Armed Forces Day. The vigil will start at 6pm on Friday 29th June and events will take place on Saturday 30th June 2012 including a march through the High Street. Keep a look out on the Town noticeboards for events taking place.
Armed Forces Day is now an annual event and is intended to raise awareness and support for the men and women who are currently serving or who have previously served the country.
Armed Forces Day 2011, Armed Forces Day 2010
CARNIVAL NEWS
The Carnival procession starts at 7.30 pm on Saturday, 27th October 2012 at the west end of the High Street and parades along the High Street to the east end of town.
The Christmas Carnival will be held on Saturday 8th December 2012 commencing at 5.30 pm at the west end of Town.
CHARTER DAY 28th July 2012
Following the success of the Market 750th celebrations in July 2007, Honiton now holds an annual Charter Day. Shopkeepers and local people are ecouraged to wear historical costume for the day.
Events include:
Music and entertainment outside St Paul's Church
Cream teas and other refreshments in the church together with displays
Chidren's events at Allhallows Museum
Charter Run
Amateur Town Crier Competition
Honiton Town Band concert at The Millennium Green in the evening
Children's entertainment
Charter Day 23rd July 2011
Charter Day 24th July 2010
Charter Day 2009
HOT PENNIES DAY - 24th July 2012
A BRIEF HISTORY
Pictures from Past - 2005 Pictures from 2005 - 2009
Honiton Hot Pennies Ceremony dates back to the 13th Century, when Honiton was granted a Royal Charter, the ceremony remained unbroken for several hundred years, and to this day has always taken place on the first Tuesday after July 19th.
The proceedings begin at 12 noon from the Old Pannier Market, with The Town Cryer (accompanied by The Mayor and local dignitaries) hoisting up a garlanded pole with a gloved hand at the top, proclaiming that “No man may be arrested so long as this glove is up.” This was done to ensure that everyone would come to Honiton for the fair which followed the ceremony, without fear of being arrested for their debts; they would otherwise have stayed away.
The first pennies are thrown from the balcony of the former Assembly Rooms above The Old Pannier Market and then a procession follows the garlanded pole to a number of Public Houses from which “hot pennies” are thrown to hoards of scrabbling children. The pole is kept on show for the remainder of “fair week” at the last Public House.
The reason behind the pennies being thrown hot, was that the affluent people who threw out the pennies took great delight in seeing the peasants burn their fingers whilst collecting them.
Nowadays the pennies are merely warm!
HONITON PANTOMIME PRESENTS .... .
The Pantomime Society had great success with their End of the Pier Show last year that they will be giving a further show on 3rd and 4th August 2012.
Further enquiries to Mrs. Rosemary Binmore 01404 43801