Come A-Wassailing this January at Victoria Park

Don’t let December have all the festive fun – come A-Wassailing in Victoria Park, Ashford, on Saturday 11 January between 3pm-7pm.

A Wassail is a traditional English event and particularly special within Kent due to its fruit growing history. At Wassail, people thank the orchard trees and welcome good spirits in, to ensure a bountiful harvest from their fruiting trees in the next season. They also scare away the bad spirits by making lots of noise!

There’ll be fun for all the family with a range of festivities including:

• Lit procession and Wassail ceremony lead by our Master of Ceremonies, Richard Wheeler
• Live music from Ashford Folk
• Performances from East Kent Morris dancers and Canterbury Hoodeners
• Storytelling from Hannah Brailsford
• Children’s drumming workshop
• Tug-of-War
• Crafts and wooden games
• BBQ and cider

Teams of four who would like to enter the tug-of-war competition must register their interest by emailing the Victoria Park team by Wednesday 8 January.

The event is free with a BBQ and refreshments available to purchase from Harper’s Café and Turners Cider. Simply head to the Community Hub (in the same building as Harpers Café) to join the fun.

A full timetable of the event can be found below and on the Victoria Park Facebook page.

3pm - 7pm: Café open for food and drinks including a BBQ

3pm - 7pm: Refreshments available from Turners Cider 

3pm - 5pm: Crafts table and wooden games (*until sundown)

3pm - 3:30pm: Ashford Folk performance (Hub terrace)

3:30pm - 3:45pm: Hoodeners performance (Hub terrace)

4pm - 4:30pm: Hannah Brailsford storytelling (Hub terrace)

4:30pm - 5pm: Adult tug of war (grass by Hub terrace) (pre-booked) 

4:30pm - 5pm: Children's drumming workshop (Hub terrace) 

5pm - 5:30pm: East Kent Morris performance (Hub terrace) 

5:30pm - 6pm: Lit procession and Wassail ceremony 

6:15pm - 6:45pm: East Kent Morris performance (Hub terrace) 

6:15pm - 7pm: Hannah Brailsford storytelling (hub terrace) 

7pm: Close 

Parking at the car park and surrounding roads will be very limited so please take public transport or walk if you can (there are good bus and cycle routes with cycle racks located in the park). There is a nearby car park on Victoria Road, which is just a five-minute stroll away but this is not free so visitors will need to pay.

Cllr Kate Walder, Portfolio Holder for Parks and Recreation at Ashford Borough Council, said: “The event is a wonderful opportunity for the local community to come together for a big celebration and to keep our local traditions alive.”

Wrap up warm and wear sensible shoes and if you’d like to join in with the yowl then please bring something like a pot and a wooden spoon to bang!