The third annual Staffordshire Day will be celebrated in a variety of ways, in 2018.
Aimed, in part, at putting Staffordshire on the map, it will also put everyone’s favourite “mugshot” in the frame – as the county which has introduced some of the finest ceramic creations to the world invites everyone to share images of themselves drinking from a Staffordshire-made mug.
The Staffordshire Day extravaganza is set to take place over an entire week this year, rather than just a day, and amongst its highlights there will also be the chance for visitors and locals alike to celebrate the county’s regional speciality, the Staffordshire Oatcake, by joining-in the World’s Biggest Oatcake Morning on May 1st.
Staffordshire Day – marked each year on May 1st– this year falls on a Tuesday, so the festivities have deliberately been extended from Saturday 28 April to the Bank Holiday Monday on 7 May.
While there will be some oatcake mornings open to anyone to join in, such as one being hosted by the Douglas Macmillan Hospice in Stoke-on-Trent, people can get involved by organising their own oatcake morning at home, at work or in their community to support a charity of their choice. Full details at .
As well as the biggest-ever Oatcake Morning other events include the Staffordshire Plate Raceday at award-winning Uttoxeter Racecourse on May 5; and the opening of a major exhibition dedicated to Newcastle-under-Lyme’s Philip Astley, the Father of the Modern Circus, as part of Circus250 national celebrations.
This year’s Staffordshire Day also features the opportunity for everyone to join-in with the county’s celebrations by taking and posting their favourite mugshots on Twitter – by simply using the hashtag #StaffordshireDayon May 1st.
The county is home to The Potteries of Stoke-on-Trent, which is officially recognised as the World Capital of Ceramics, with award winning museums and visitor centres including Wedgwood and Emma Bridgewater. One of the reasons this date was chosen for Staffordshire Day is that May 1stalso coincides with the day when Josiah Wedgwood created his pottery company in 1759.
Social media channels will also be the place to look-out for some famous Staffordshire faces from the past – with short videos featuring the likes of Samuel Johnson and Josiah Wedgwood doing their bit to promote the county’s top tourism hotspots.
Last year, over 60,000 people attended Staffordshire Day events, generating an estimated £1m for the county’s economy. Staffordshire currently welcomes around 25 million people from home and abroad on day or overnight trips to the area.
Discovermore about visiting the county, as well as Staffordshire Day events, at www.enjoystaffordshire.com/staffsday, or at #StaffordshireDay.