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Buxton Flowerpot Trail 2025: celebrate the Billerettes!
Can you believe it? This July, The Billerettes are marking an incredible 50 years of performing! So we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate them during this year’s Buxton Flowerpot Trail. Is any community day complete without the world-famous Buxton Billerettes?
We’d love, on their 50th anniversary, for the whole town to be awash with them, as a way of thanking them, celebrating them and showing our love and appreciation for Bill Weston and his Billerettes troupe. We invite all in Buxton to make a flowerpot creation in their image and to display it over the summer.
For those who don’t know, The Billerettes started in response to a bet. Founder, Bill Weston, tells us the story…
“Watching a lack-lustre team of junior majorettes when I was in the carnival, back in July 1974, I made a passing comment that they had no energy or oomph and I could do better. The response was ‘people say that but rarely follow it up’, which I had to prove wrong.”
Bill and some friends took to the streets the following year, during the 1975 Buxton Carnival, and then every year since. Now that’s commitment to the bit!
The Buxton Flowerpot Trail usually has an open theme, which you can explore and interpret as you wish. But this year, we’re asking you to make one thing, and one thing only… a Billerette. To open it up a little, they don’t have to be orange and they don’t have to be dancing. They don’t even have to be people! We have some pointers of what makes up a Billerette outfit, to help you on your way, and you can use Bargain Booze’s creation from last year as inspiration.
However, as usual, you don’t need to align with the theme if you don’t want to; you’re free to make whatever you want (but we would really love the town to be full of flowerpot Billerettes to celebrate the troupe’s achievement).
About the Trail
All in Buxton are welcome and encouraged to get involved – households, businesses, schools and community groups – to make a flowerpot creation for the trail.
It simply aims to bring a smile and to get people spending a bit of time being creative and making something out of old resources – please don’t buy any new pots!
Flowerpot creations can be displayed in gardens, on gateposts, door steps or in windows, anywhere so long as they are visible from the pavement / public footpaths.
The trail will run during July and August alongside all four of Buxton’s summer festivals, being part of the Festival Fringe.
This year’s trail is supported by a grant from the High Peak Borough Council Councillor Initiative Fund, with contributions by eight Buxton councillors: Cllrs Linda Grooby, Rachael Quinn, Jean Todd, Chris Payne, Madeline Hall, Kevin Kirkham, Chris Morten and Pam Reddy.
Making
If you’re thinking about getting involved for the first time, have no fear! Simple flowerpot people are easy to make – they’re just knots in string – and there’s no real right or wrong way to do it. If you need some pointers, making instructions and videos are available here. We ask that you don’t buy new pots – it’s all about finding creative uses for old resources.
If you need some pots, you can pick some up for free at our stalls at the following:
- Monday 5 May – Buxton Spring Fair, 10am-5pm, on the Market Place.
- Saturday 31 May – Rotary Summer Fair, Octagon Hall, Pavilion Gardens, 10am-4pm.
Making instructions and decorations will also be available. See our ‘what makes a Billerette?’ instructions on the project page here.
How to Get Involved
Could you help us make the biggest trail yet? It’s free to get involved so please tell all your friends about it.
To register a location for the trail, please email hello@funnywonders.org.uk with the address. The deadline to be included is Sunday 22 June.
If you have any questions or would like to help us – we’re always happy to welcome new volunteers, please get in touch by emailing hello@funnywonders.org.uk.
