Gravy Wrestling Championship
August 31 @ 12:00 am - 11:59 pm
About Gravy Wrestling Championship
The World Gravy Wrestling Championships is an annual charity event held on the August Bank Holiday Monday in Stacksteads, Rossendale, Lancashire. Competitors wrestle in a ring filled with 1,500 litres of warm, gravy-coloured liquid, earning points for wrestling technique, costume creativity, and crowd entertainment. Since its founding in 2007, the event has raised significant funds for the East Lancashire Hospice and earned a place in the Guinness World Records.
What is the Gravy Wrestling Championship?
The World Gravy Wrestling Championships is one of the most inventive charity fundraising events in the United Kingdom. Held in the garden of the Rose N Bowl pub in Stacksteads, Rossendale, the competition sees participants wrestle in a large vat filled with gravy for two-minute bouts. Judges award points not only on wrestling prowess but also on the quality of fancy dress costumes and the ability to entertain the crowd.
The event is firmly tongue-in-cheek. Participants dress as superheroes, fictional characters, animals, and an eclectic variety of other outfits before wading into the gravy pool. The atmosphere is raucous and celebratory, drawing large crowds of spectators to what has become an annual highlight of the Lancashire summer calendar.
Men and women compete in separate categories, with approximately 16 male and 8 female competitors taking part each year. The event is open to amateur participants and has no formal athletic requirement, making it accessible to anyone willing to embrace the spectacle. Previous participants have included members of the public, local celebrities, and charity champions.
The gravy used in the pool is not a traditional cooking gravy. After early editions found that real gravy attracted wasps, the organisers switched to a mixture of cornflour and caramel colouring, which replicates the appearance and consistency of gravy without the same insect-attracting properties.
When is the Gravy Wrestling Championship?
The World Gravy Wrestling Championships takes place on the August Bank Holiday Monday, which falls on the last Monday of August each year. In 2026, that date is 31 August. The Bank Holiday timing makes the event accessible to a wide audience, with many spectators travelling to Rossendale specifically for the occasion. Wrestling bouts are held throughout the afternoon, with spectators watching from Bacup Cricket Club, adjacent to the Rose N Bowl pub.
Why the Gravy Wrestling Championship Matters
While the event is undeniably fun, its purpose is serious. The World Gravy Wrestling Championships was founded as a fundraising vehicle for the East Lancashire Hospice, a charity that provides palliative care and support to people with life-limiting illnesses and their families. The hospice relies heavily on community fundraising, and the wrestling event has become one of its most high-profile annual income streams.
Beyond the direct fundraising impact, the event has broader social value. It draws community members together around a shared moment of silliness and joy, which has its own wellbeing benefits. It also generates significant media attention for the hospice, raising awareness of its work far beyond the immediate Rossendale area.
The championships also demonstrate what community-led fundraising can achieve when it embraces creativity and humour. The event’s success has inspired similar quirky charity competitions across the UK and internationally, proving that unconventional approaches to fundraising can be both effective and enduring.
How to Get Involved
There are several ways to participate in the World Gravy Wrestling Championships:
- Compete. Entry forms are typically available through the World Gravy Wrestling website and the Rose N Bowl pub. Competitors must be prepared to wrestle in fancy dress for two-minute bouts in front of a large crowd. No formal wrestling experience is required.
- Spectate. The event draws large crowds each year. Tickets and information are available through the official website and local event listings. Spectators watch from Bacup Cricket Club on Bank Holiday Monday.
- Donate. Even if you cannot attend, you can support the East Lancashire Hospice directly through the event’s fundraising channels or the hospice’s own website.
- Volunteer. The event relies on a team of volunteers to manage logistics, stewarding, and crowd management. Contact the organisers through the World Gravy Wrestling website to find out how to help.
- Spread the word. Sharing the event on social media helps raise awareness of both the championships and the hospice it supports. Use the hashtag #GravyWrestling when posting.
History of the Gravy Wrestling Championship
The World Gravy Wrestling Championships began in 2007, created by the team at the Rose N Bowl pub in Stacksteads as a novel approach to charity fundraising. The inaugural event attracted a modest crowd, but the concept proved immediately popular, and the championships quickly established themselves as an annual fixture.
The gravy used in the original competitions was a traditional Lancashire gravy made from meat juices and vegetables. However, the organisers discovered that the cooked gravy attracted wasps when warm, posing a safety concern for participants and spectators. The recipe was subsequently changed to a mixture of cornflour and caramel colouring, which replicates the appearance of gravy without the same insect-attracting properties.
In 2019, the event was officially recognised by the Guinness World Records, cementing its status as the world’s pre-eminent gravy wrestling competition. The Guinness record specifically tracks the most championship wins in the male category.
The event is now organised by The Real Lancashire Black Pudding Co. Ltd, The Rose N Bowl, Bacup Cricket Club, and East Lancashire Hospice working in partnership. This collaborative structure has allowed the event to grow in scale and reach while retaining its community character.
BBC regional news and national outlets have covered the championships repeatedly, and the event has attracted international media attention, featuring in publications and broadcasts across Europe and beyond. The championships remain one of the most distinctive and well-known quirky events in the UK calendar.
Noteworthy Facts
- The event uses approximately 1,500 litres of warm gravy-coloured liquid per competition.
- The Guinness World Records recognised the championships in 2019.
- The event raises funds for the East Lancashire Hospice, which supports people with life-limiting illnesses and their families.
- Competitors are judged on wrestling ability, costume quality, and crowd entertainment value.
- The original gravy recipe was changed after real gravy was found to attract wasps.
- The championships take place at the Rose N Bowl in Stacksteads, with spectators watching from Bacup Cricket Club.
- The event has been running annually since 2007, making it one of the longest-running quirky charity events in the UK.
Hashtags for the Gravy Wrestling Championship
#GravyWrestling #WorldGravyWrestling #Rossendale #Lancashire #EastLancashireHospice #CharityEvent #BankHoliday
Featured image: Photo by Shell Chapman on Unsplash.
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