Frome’s popular annual wassail is back on Sunday 8 February from 1.30pm to 3.30pm, in the community orchard and green space by the river at Weylands. The orchard is home to cherry, walnut, mulberry, pear and plum trees as well as the apple trees that traditionally form part of the centuries-old practice of wassailing, which aims to encourage a good harvest and bring people together in community at the coldest and darkest time of the year.
This year’s wassail performance will once again be led by local performers Annabelle Macfadyen and Simon Blakeman, with Frome Street Bandits providing musical accompaniment. The audience is encouraged to bring pots, pans and spoons to bang on cue during the performance, as well as hang toast in the trees of the orchard and ‘toast’ their roots with cider.
Martin Scott, selected as Frome’s new town crier at the 2024 wassail will introduce the day, which includes a ‘village green’, open from 1.30pm, featuring crafts, hot mulled cider and apple juice, a tree walk with Olivia Cliff of Vallis Farm’s Radix Herbal Hub at 1.45pm, Morris dancing with Somerset Morris at 2pm and storytelling round the campfire with Alex Hart of Shared Earth Learning. The wassail ceremony begins at 2.30pm, rounded off by a performance from Frome Street Bandits at 3pm.
Mayor of Frome Anita Collier said “I’m looking forward to playing my part as your Mayor at this year’s wassail, helping to toast the trees and celebrate this wonderful space, created by the community and providing a place to meet and unwind as well as delicious fruit. This free event has quickly become a highlight of the Frome calendar, thanks to the talents of Annabelle, Simon and the Street Bandits and the hard work of Charly Le Marchant from Pocketful of Acorns, who co-designed the orchard and the three original planting days, and who helps to bring the wassail here each year. The event will proceed in most weather…but do check on the town council Facebook page on the day if it’s particularly wet or windy. Come down, enjoy hot mulled cider and all the activities and look forward to sunnier days and a good fruit harvest with us!”
The Weylands wassail takes place on Sunday 8 February at Weylands, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. The event and all activities are free and cider and toast for the wassail are provided. Dowding’s cider will be selling hot mulled cider and apple juice at the wassail. 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.
