On July 13, 1980, at the Hollinwell Showground in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, England, around 300 people, mostly children, suddenly collapsed with symptoms of fainting, nausea, and dizziness during a jazz band jamboree. The incident, which remains one of the most perplexing examples of mass hysteria, was investigated for possible causes such as pesticides, gas leaks, or UFOs, but no definitive explanation was ever found.

The Hollinwell incident has been the subject of numerous poems, songs, and works of creative nonfiction that explore the mystery and fear surrounding collective fainting. The event has inspired writers to reflect on the fragility of human health and the power of suggestion in triggering physical symptoms. It also serves as a cautionary tale about the limits of science and the persistence of the unexplained, themes that resonate in works of Gothic and speculative literature.