Cuckfield Mayoral Elections and Mayor's Procession

Welcome to Cuckfield Life’s Mayoral Election and Procession event page. Here you will find our most recent information for everything mayoral.

Held on the third Friday in October, the Mayor’s Election prides itself on being completely and openly corrupt – whichever candidate buys the most votes is declared the winner and elected as the next Mayor of The Independent State of Cuckfield. Votes cost one penny each
The  Saturday morning after election night sees the The Mayor’s Procession through the village.

See also, The Independent State of Cuckfield

Mayoral Elections and Procession 2025

The Independent State of Cuckfield Mayor’s election takes place this year on Friday 17th October at the Rose & Crown. Candidates collect ‘votes’ in the form of pennies and the winner is the one with the most pennies on election night. Not only is this beautifully simple. but all the money raised goes straight back to local groups and charities.

Candidates this year are Alan Carter standing for the Rose & Crown, Lucy Martin for HHRFC, Gareth Knapman for the Wheatsheaf, Jack Ford for the Talbot, and of course Woody for The Cuckfield Show (TBC for the White Harte). Polls open at 7pm and votes can be cast in cash or by card to help your candidate cross the line first. Or you can donate directly to your favourite before election night. It’s always a fun and raucous evening so come along and be there to welcome the new Mayor.

The following day sees the mayor process through Cuckfield from Warden Park to the High Street as they greet their new subjects. All the floats that take part in the procession receive a share of the mayor’s fund. The new Mayor will also have the honour of representing the Independent State on its 60th anniversary. To find out more or to get involved email info@cuckfieldstate.org or follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/independentstateofcuckfield

The 2025’s Mayoral Election is on Friday 17th October at the Rose & Crown, followed by the Mayor’s Procession on Saturday 18th October at 2pm - leaving from Warden Park Academy, through the village, ending at The Talbot.. A weekend not to be missed!

Cuckfield Bookfest

Welcome to Cuckfield Life’s Cuckfield Bookfest event page. Here you will find our most recent information for everything Bookfest.

As a community interest group, Bookfest relies on the generous support from sponsors, benefactors and friends to help them host brilliant writers and new talents every year.

See also, Cuckfield Bookfest

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Cuckfield Book Fest – some tickets still available

By Sheila Mortimer

Tickets have been on sale since mid August and several sessions sold out within a week. But plenty of tickets are still available.
Ockenden Manor provides a delightful setting for the opening supper on 3rd October. A combination of a welcoming reception with sparkling wine, a delicious two course supper with wine included on each table, and an entertaining speaker will provide a night to remember.

There’s a distinct political flavour to Saturday with biographies of Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair but as a complete contrast and to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen, we have the author of a series in which she imagines Jane Austen as a sleuth talking to the author of a new book whose literary sleuths are Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf.

Holy Trinity Church in Cuckfield is providing an appropriate venue for Andrew Ziminski’s book Church Going which is a stonemason’s guide to the churches of the British Isles. Also in the church on Saturday, in the centenary year of the birth of the trail-blazing African American, James Baldwin, four authors reveal the influence of his work on their personal journey.
A subject not often discussed is featured on Saturday evening when Helen Taylor, author of Childless by Choice, talks about what it means to live outside traditional family structures.

If you are a fan of crime fiction, don’t miss Simon Mason on Saturday night talking about The Woman Who Laughed, his intriguing story of the efforts of a Finder investigating a spate of murders which began in the Pandemic. There’s even a Jane Austen connection here as the main character has his beloved copy of Persuasion in his pocket to provide some relief.

On Sunday morning, Phil Craig will be talking to military historian and author, Gavin Mortimer about his book 1945: The Reckoning in which Phil reveals how the aims of the British state were set aside in favour of colonial power games after the war.
Cuckfield has a long connection with dinosaurs and Michael Taylor’s new book Impossible Monsters tells how the discovery of dinosaur fossils changed the world. Hermione Cockburn, born and brought up in Cuckfield, will be asking the questions.

The recent India/England test match series provided some outstanding games which may well have produced new converts to the sport. Daily Telegraph correspondent Tim Wigmore’s Test Cricket; A History is the perfect book for all fans and Tim will be discussing it with Peter Guttridge on Sunday evening. Two contrasting subjects also feature on Sunday. Anne Sebba’s The Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz gives a vivid account of the experiences of the 40 or sowomen who briefly came together to make the music that saved their lives. Tiffany Murray’s remarkable story in My Family and Other Rock Stars describes growing up in a rural idyll where Freddie Mercury might appear to play the piano.

Children will be welcomed in Holy Trinity Church on Saturday with two events and there’s a third on Sunday afternoon in the Queen’s Hall.

There’s an extra event this year. Alexander McCall Smith’s publicist recently asked us if we would like to host Alexander in Cuckfield. We were thrilled to be considered for this and so on Saturday 25th October, there will be a special event in Cuckfield Baptist Church at 7.30pm. The master storyteller will entertain us with tales from the latest 44 Scotland Street novel, Bertie’s Theory of Ice Cream, and discuss In the Time of Five Pumpkins, the new novel in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, plus introduce us to his new stand-alone novel.

Once again, we hope you find something to enjoy. Cuckfield Bookfest takes place between Friday 3rd and Sunday 5th October, with a Literary Quiz on 26th September. There are many more events and you will find details on our website: www.cuckfieldbookfest.co.uk
Tickets are available for all events at: www.ticketsource.co.uk/cuckfieldbookfest

Cuckfield Bonfire and Fireworks

Welcome to Cuckfield Life’s Cuckfield Bonfire and Fireworks event page. Here you will find our most recent information for everything bonfire and fireworks.

See also, Cuckfield Bonfire

2025’s Bonfire Night will take place on 1st November at Cuckfield Park.

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© Hugo Blewett-Mundy

Remember, remember the 1st of November

One of Cuckfield’s greatest charity events is making a sparkling return in the autumn – in one of its earliest ever appearances. Months of painstaking planning and fiery preparations have gone into making it an explosive family night out to remember.

It’s the annual Cuckfield Bonfire and Fireworks to Music - which over many decades has raised huge amounts of funds for local good causes – and is this year being held earlier than usual, on Saturday 1st November.
“We have been working for months to make sure it is a night out to remember and it is definitely one of the earliest dates we’ve held it,” said Michael Moore, Chairman of the Cuckfield Bonfire Society.
“Last year we were able to make substantial donations to six local good causes, including Woodlands Mead and Holy Trinity Schools, along with the Dame Vera Lynn Charity. “We are delighted to be able to continue to support people across the community despite the fact that our event costs are constantly going up and our instinct is not to increase ticket prices,” he added.

CBS are always on the lookout for event marshals and anyone who can help out is urged to contact organisers via the website www.cuckfieldbonfire.co.uk or via the Facebook page.

Tickets are £28 for a family, £10 for adults and £5 for children, which are already on sale via www.trybooking.co.uk – where parking can be booked in advance at Warden Park School.

The spectacular event at Cuckfield Park starts from 5.30pm, with ceremonial bonfire lighting at 6.45pm. There are a range of food outlets on offer to cater for most tastes, including stands run by Holy Trinity School PTA and the Scouts, plus there’s one new secret ingredient in the display.

“This year we have been working with our fireworks team on coming up with a memorable last few minutes… So, we are planning a truly grand finale,” said Michael.