Two days after dancing at the Kite, we were back in action at the inauguration of the new Old Woodstock Mock Mayor.

We did a half hour dance spot at the Black Prince as part of the partying, and followed the Mock Mayor and Corporation leading the procession up the hill to the Town Hall.

Once at the Town Hall, we did some further dances, including one in which the Mayor and Mock Mayor took part!

Cry Havoc have participated in the ceremony before, but not for quite a few years, and we couldn’t quite remember what was supposed to happen. So some of the requests took us a bit by surprise. But it was great fun, and we’ll hope to do it again soon.

It was a hectic afternoon, and none of us had time to take pictures. We’re hoping the committee will supply some.

The worryingly good summer of 2014 produced another fine evening for our last regular dance out of the season on the last day of July. We were close to home ground at the Kite in Mill Street, Oxford. Not quite Botley, but just off the Botley Road.

Another fine summer evening at the Kite, Mill Street.

It was a significant day for several reasons. It was Isobel’s birthday. It was the day Mick the Drummer retired – from work, not Havoc, he was quick to point out. And, sadly, it was Clare’s last dance out with us. She’s been a stalwart of the side for the last 8 years, but she and her husband are relocating to the Lake District. Which is a bit of the long way to come for practice. She joined Havoc at the same time as your humble scribe, and we’ve spent many many dances lurking together at the back of the set.

Clare offers Charlotte her overhead during Lads Aʼ Buncham at the Kite.

Clare is a fine dancer, and we’ll all have to practice like mad over the winter to make up for her absence.

Outgoing Squire Pete must have decided to make the most of his remaining outings as Squire. He worked us hard all evening, and we ended up doing 16 dances, several of which we hadn’t danced since practice in March. We were rather rusty, and had to concentrate hard.

Clare, Steve and Pete all concentrating hard. When did we last do this dance?

Even Morris dancers rarely consider Morris much of a spectator sport. So, it’s always a pleasure – and a considerable surprise – to find what actually amounted to something of a crowd waiting for us at the Botley Westway Festival on Saturday 19th July.

Dancing ‘Young Collings’ at the Botley Westway Festival.

We did a half hour spot and somehow failed to scare off all those out to enjoy the festival.

Dancing ‘Young Collins’ at the Botley Westway Festival.

We tried hard to entice bystanders to come and join their local side. Fingers crossed.

Another sunny summer evening? Whatever has happened to the traditional English summer?

The evening of Thursday 17th July saw us out at another of our favourite haunts, the Eight Bells at Eaton with our guests, Old Speckled Hen.

Dancing ‘Sidesteps’ at the Eight Bells, Eaton.

A warm and sultry evening, and Tommy’s legendary Coronation Chicken sandwiches. Yum.

Old Speckled Hen at the Eight Bells.

Despite being based in Botley, it’s been a long time since Havoc visited the Seacourt, the pub in the heart of Botley. But following a warm invitation we danced out the front of the pub on July 10th another fine evening, accompanied by Wolvercote Morris.

We found a ready audience, particularly from the people queuing at the bus stop outside the Seacourt. We’d forgotten to bring our charity buckets, so Mick’s hat was pressed into service.

After dancing, we retreated inside the pub and had a relaxed music session. Let’s hope this we’ll be visiting the Seacourt again.

Our first dance out of July saw us at the Fox in Denchworth as guests of Icnkield.

The Fox is a thatched pub in the Vale of the White Horse. We danced outside on the patio beside the large garden on a perfect summer evening.

Much to the joy of all concerned, the Fox provided an enormous quantity of sandwiches and roast potatoes to encourage us. I for one struggled to jump very high during dances after they appeared.

Despite a full weekend of dance, Havoc also turned out on at one of our favourite pubs, the Prince of Wales at Shippon, on the evening of Sunday 29th June to mark the end of Phil and Karen’s final weekend in charge.

Our dance out this week was unusually on a Monday, the 23rd of June. We were a little to the west of Banbury, at the Stags Head, Swalcliffe, with Masons Apron.

The Stags Head, Swalcliffe.

It was the day after midsummer, and a near perfect evening.

Masons Apron at the Stags Head, Swalcliffe.

Constant Billy at the Stags Head, Swalcliffe.

And after the dancing was finished, Masons Apron produced CAKE! Mmmmm. Masons are famous for their cake.

Sunset over Swalcliffe Church.

The weekend of the 6th-8th June saw a determined chunk of Havoc make the long trip to Cornsay Colliery near Durham to join our friends at Kern Morris of Durham for their Weekend of Dance.

After travelling up on the Friday, we got down to business on Saturday morning in Durham city centre.

Balance the Straw at Millennium Place, Durham.

There were about 11 sides present. We all did a dance together before most of the others headed off to other part of the city centre. Our first spot was in Millennium Place, so we stayed put with Claro Sword and Morris, Clogarhythm and Whitby’s very own Jet Set Border Morris.

Jet Set Border Morris at Millennium Place, Durham.

Clogarhythm in Millennium Place, Durham.

After a few dances, it started to rain. So we moved on to our next spot, outside the Cathedral.

Claro Morris try carrying St Cuthbert.

Unfortunately the rain didn’t let up. Havoc don’t let a little water spoil our high spirits.

Musicians just love it when it rains, Durham.

After that, we all hid in a pub for lunch. And, as the rain continued, for the afternoon.

Mick Onions is worried about the amount of headroom.

Luckily the weather lifted a little in the evening, and with the encouragement of the pub customers more dancing happened.

Come Sunday morning the sun came out properly.

Kern Morris outside the Royal Oak, Cornsay Colliery.

It was a long way home….