Jan 25. Burns Night.
Scots worldwide get stuck into haggis, whisky and vowel-grinding poetry to commemorate Scotland's greatest poet, Robert Burns.

Mid-Feb. Chinese New Year.
Festivities in London's and Manchester's Chinatown districts.

Feb-March. Six Nations Rugby tournament.
B etween Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy.

March 1. St David's Day.
Hwyrnos and celebrations all over Wales.

End of March or early April. University Boat Race.
Hugely popular rowing contest on the Thames, between the teams of Oxford and Cambridge.

Shrove Tues Purbeck Marblers and Stonecutters Day, Corfe Castle, Dorset. Ritual football game through the streets of the village.

May. Scottish FA Cup Final in Glasgow.
Scotland's premier football event.

May 1. Padstow Hobby Horse, Padstow, Cornwall.
Processions, music and dancing through the streets. June Shinty Camanachd Cup Final. The climax of the season for Scotland's own stick-and-ball game, normally held in one of the main Highland towns. Also marks the beginning of the Highland Games season across the Highlands, northeast and Argyll.

First week in June. Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Urdd.
The largest youth festival in Europe, alternating between North and South Wales.

July. Scottish Open Golf Championship.
held at a different venue each year. Also Highland Games at Caithness, Elgin, Glengarry, North Uist, Inverness, Inveraray, Mull, Lewis, Durness, Lochaber, Dufftown, Halkirk.

Early July Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod.
Over 12,000 participants from all over the world, including choirs, dancers, folk singers, groups and instrumentalists.

Early Aug. The two-day Lammas Fair at St Andrews.
The oldest medieval market in the country.

Early Sept to early Nov. Blackpool Illuminations, Lancashire.
Five miles of extravagant light displays.

Oct. Swansea Festival of Music and the Arts.
Concerts, jazz, drama, opera, ballet and art events throughout the city.

Mid-Nov. Lord Mayor's Procession and Show.
The City of London. Cavalcade to mark the inauguration of the new mayor.

Nov 30. St Andrew's Day.
Celebrating Scotland's patron saint.

Dec 31. Tar Barrels Parade.
Allendale Town, Northumberland.