Wassail Around the Apple Trees
Sun 08 Feb
|Kingston Orchard Knollmead Allottments
A beautiful ceremony to invite the birds back to the trees (hang toasty on the tree) and frighten away bad spirits 😂 sing and parade and dance, meet the team who care for Kingston Orchard Project and find out more about the the traditions and heritage of our borough.
Time & Location
08 Feb 2026, 11:30 – 12:30
Kingston Orchard Knollmead Allottments, Knollmead, United Kingdom
About the event
Wassail is an ancient British tradition of singing to and blessing apple orchards to ensure a fruitful harvest, typically held around Twelfth Night (early January). Deriving from the Old Norse ves heill ("be in good health"), it involves singing, drinking spiced cider from a communal bowl, and making noise to drive away evil spirits.Â
Key Elements of Wassailing:
Orchard Ceremony: Participants often visit the oldest tree in the orchard to place cider-soaked toast in its branches (a gift for the tree spirits) and pour cider on the roots.
Wassail Bowl:
A large bowl filled with hot, spiced ale or cider—often called "lambs wool"—is shared among the group
.