10 Jun 2025
If you’ve never seen a parade of giant puppets and eyeballs on sticks then you really can’t miss one of the highlights of the year.
Alban Day Pilgrimage and Festival is a day full of fun, excitement and community spirit where St Albans comes together to celebrate the city’s rich culture and history.
The event honours the legacy of Britain’s first Christian martyr, Alban – executed at the hands of the Romans around 1,700 years ago – using spectacular three metre tall carnival puppets representing the saint, Roman Centurions, lions and chariots.
It starts off with a procession through the city centre to St Albans Cathedral from 11am, culminating with the execution of Alban re-enacted in all its grisly detail, including how his executioner’s eyes fell out during the saint’s beheading.
Local firefighters illustrate the scene where the well sprang at the bottom of Holywell Hill where Alban’s head stopped rolling.
St Albans Cathedral’s Canon Kevin Walton said: “There is nothing quite like it in the whole of the UK as we celebrate Britain’s first saint and welcome pilgrims from near and far. The Alban Pilgrimage is the highlight of our year at St Albans Cathedral.”
A street festival from midday includes host of activities to enjoy ranging from giant jigsaws based on Roman mosaics found in St Albans to clay modelling of the medieval Clock Tower and market, plus free face painting, and a pilgrim passport trail in the city centre. Collect your passport from St Albans Museum + Gallery or the Cathedral.
You can experience ancient trades such as the art of ancient writing with Medieval Scriptorium and see how pilgrim badges are made with a Medieval Badge Maker.
Join the new George Street Historic Buildings Blue Plaque Trail and discover hidden stories of the heritage buildings which line the street.
Visitors will also come face-to-face with residents of Roman Verulamium – as portrayed by actors from OVO theatre company and watch reenactors display battle formations as Roman Gladiators.
Canon Kevin Walton added: “Alban is Britain’s first Christian saint and takes us right back to Roman times, but his story is still powerful today as Alban stood up for truth and justice by sheltering a persecuted stranger. It is also the reason why the city is proud to be called St Albans. We celebrate this unique story with great drama, colour, and community engagement, filling the whole length of the city’s high street with our procession.
“We are therefore especially looking forward to welcoming the preacher at this year’s Pilgrimage Eucharist, the Very Revd Isaak Poobalan, Provost of St Andrew’s Cathedral, Aberdeen, who has served across continents and been himself a pilgrim to St Albans.”
The Eucharist takes place in the Cathedral from noon, and there will be an Evensong service of reflection at 4pm.
Vivien Cannon, manager of St Albans City Centre BID, said: “Alban Day is a must-experience celebration of our city’s rich and fascinating heritage.
“From its Roman roots and Saint Alban’s story to its medieval architecture and 1,000-year-old market, our city lives its history with today’s businesses carrying on the trading traditions of a hustling and bustling settlement, many from buildings that have been here for hundreds of years.
“We invite you to join the festivities of Alban Day. We are proud to showcase our city’s extraordinary story, it’s incredible business and retail offering and our award-winning food and drink. It really is one of the best events of the year for celebrating our city of St Albans!”
Photos by Toby Shepheard
