The Weylands Wassail is back for its third year on Saturday 8th February from 1.30pm to 3.30pm, in the orchard by the river behind Weylands. Live music from Frome Street Bandits, craft activities including creating willow bird feeders for the garden, and mulled cider and apple juice will join the wassail ceremony itself. Entrance to the wassail is free, with refreshments on sale and the opportunity to make a donation to the community groups providing the activities.
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. Once again, Annabelle Macfadyen will stage a wassail performance and lead the crowd through the ceremony, around trees decorated by local resident and TreeGroup member Charly Le Marchant. Annabelle Macfadyen said:
“The Wassail is a lovely midwinter community event where children and adults participate in an ancient tradition of wassailing the apple trees in the orchard. We need 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, we celebrate them in song with a cup of mulled cider or apple juice in hand.”
Charly le Marchant said “The traditional wassail was always to come out in midwinter and bless and encourage the spirits of the fruit trees to give us more apples the following harvest. But it is also an excuse to encourage everyone out of their homes in the miserable depths of winter, remind us that we do have friends and there is a community around us. Charly of WoodfortheTrees and Pavla of Hejgro designed and organised the tree planting under the TreeGroup with help of FROGs and Shared Earth and funds and support from FTC and Pumpkin Day in 2019 and 2020. Bringing the wassail tradition to Weylands in 2022 was the next step.”
Cllr Philip Campagna, who took part in the wassail in February 2024 while mayor of Frome, said:
“Please come down to join the wassail and brighten a grey February – here’s hoping it’s just grey and the weather behaves itself! Last year’s wassail also saw the selection of Frome’s new town crier, Martin Scott, and he’s blazed a trail ever since – we’re delighted that he’ll be with us to celebrate his anniversary. Bring your pots and pans and your loudest voices to Weylands on 8th February and let’s get the young orchard there off to a good start! Thanks to Charly and Annabelle and everyone involved for bringing wassailing back to Frome; long may it continue.”
The Weylands Wassail takes place in the green space behind Weylands/Whatcombe Road, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm on Saturday 8th February.
