Warrington Walking Day

Warrington Walking Day is the UK's biggest and oldest processional walk of witness, dating back to the early 1830s.

In its heyday it was a local holiday, when everybody turned out to either take part or be a spectator and businesses and shops closed for the day. The event is a walk or procession of witness by most of the churches in Warrington. Walking Day in Warrington was the idea of the Rector Horace Powys who wanted to create a counter attraction to the Newton Races, which were held in mid to late June. Revd Horace felt that a community day for families would deter drinking and gambling.

The event takes place on the nearest Friday to 1 July each year and is organised by Warrington Borough Council, led by the Diocese of Liverpool. Groups process from outside the town hall through the Golden Gates where they are greeted by the Mayor and civic guests. Walking bands and community musicians are also involved in the parade adding to the festive atmosphere. All major access routes into the town centre are closed temporarily due to the scale of the event.

Originally, just involving parishes of the Church of England, by the middle of the nineteenth century there were three processions, including the Catholic church and the Non-conformists. Since the IRA bombing of Warrington in 1993, all the churches and schools walk together.

The outer villages and districts, such as Stockton Heath, Penketh, Padgate, Grappenhall and Orford have their walk in their own locality.

Apart from the period of the Second World War when it was rained off, and in 2019 and 2020 during the pandemic it has taken place ever since.