The annual Pearly Kings and Queens Harvest Festival celebrates the bounty of the autumn harvest with traditional entertainment including Maypole dancing and marching bands. The custom of wearing clothes decorated with pearl buttons originated in the 19th century when London street-sweeper Henry Croft decorated his uniform and began collecting money for charity. The festival begins at Guildhall, and is followed by a parade to St. Mary-le-Bow church for a service of thanksgiving. Harvest offerings are donated to the Whitechapel Mission, a charity aiming to help those caught in poverty.
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