Throughout the year the Waggon Inn is active in many local events:
Annual Whit Friday Band Contest
Whit Friday, meaning White Friday, is the name given to the first Friday after Pentecost. The day has a cultural significance in Saddleworth as the day on which the traditional annual Whit Friday Brass band contests are held in the eastern areas of Greater Manchester, in North West England.
A brass band contest has been held in Uppermill on Whit Friday since 1884. The Whit Friday contests are now firmly placed in the brass band calendar and attract thousands of people, whether musicians or spectators, to listen to brass band music. The bands' discipline, stamina, and organisational skills are tested to the limit. Each of the contests on the Whit Friday circuit is organised by a dedicated committee who organise their own contest prizes.
Saddleworth Beer Walk
On the Saturday following Whit Friday, the Saddleworth Beer Walk is held. This is a fundraising event where participants walk around Saddleworth in fancy dress, stopping off at many of Saddleworth's pubs along the way for a pint of beer or lager. Spectators are encouraged to give money to the participants for charity. It is organised by the Saddleworth branch of the Round Table.
Saddleworth Rushcart
The Rushcart festival runs over 2 days at the end of August. Morrismen teams from all over the country and from abroad descend on Uppermill to pull the Rushcart with a 'jockey' sitting on the top. On the Saturday, the Rushcart is pulled through the villages of Saddleworth (Greenfield, Uppermill, Delph & Dobcross), stopping in each village for the Morrismen to dance.
On the Sunday, the cart is pulled to the parish Church of Saddleworth (St. Chads) at top of the hill in Uppermill. A day of Morris Dancing plus gurning, wrestling and worst singer competitions follows, with the climax to the day being the Saddleworth Morrismen dancing as much of their repertoire as they can after a long weekend of dancing (and drinking!).
