Wassailing returns to Weylands

On Saturday 8th February, the Weylands Wassail will bring people together for a traditional midwinter celebration in the community orchard. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun between 1.30pm – 3.30pm, with Morris dancing, a wassail procession and ceremony, crafts, singing, and live music. There is hot mulled cider and apple juice on sale, and an opportunity to make willow wassail crowns, for a suggested donation of £1.

This year, you are also invited to adopt a free dwarf heritage apple tree. For anyone unable to attend, there is another opportunity to adopt one on Monday 10th February between 3pm and 4.30pm, from outside the rangers’ yard in Victoria Park. Be quick – its first come, first served!

Town rangers Asia and Toni will also be hosting a free willow bird feeder-making session at the wassail (booking required at: https://bit.ly/bird-feeder-session-8-feb).

The word ‘wassail’ comes from Old English, meaning ‘be well’ and its purpose is to bring cheer to the cold, dark part of the year through community and celebration. There will be a wassail performance, leading the crowd through the ceremony, around the beautifully decorated trees in the young orchard.

Wassailing is designed to wake the trees from their winter sleep by making a lot of noise with pots and pans and then make offerings of toast and cider to ensure a good harvest. Once the trees are blessed in this way, they are celebrated in song with a cup of mulled cider or apple juice in hand.

Please note that there will be no access to toilets at the location, and parking is limited. Please be mindful of residents and ensure the Wassail can continue to be the wonderful community event that it is!

Find the wassail location via What 3 words at https://w3w.co/drives.half.pose or Google Maps at https://maps.app.goo.gl/U6EmVVv3hxQZ5Lf47.