The wassail will take place at The Wolseley Centre, near Stafford and Rugeley, on Sunday 14 January. From 10am there will be drop in craft activities in The Learning Hub (single story building next to car park). There will be Morris dancing between 1pm and 2pm, followed by a traditional seasonal folk play between 2pm and 2.30pm before the procession to the orchard for the ceremony and the wassail itself from 2.45pm onwards. 

Visitors will firstly be entertained by the Green Man Morris dancers before being invited to make their way to the orchard. Here local druids will lead the ceremony of dancing and singing around the trees, which includes The Mari Lwyd, a large hobby horse. The Druids will toast the trees (using toasted bread!) to ensure a good harvest. Everyone is encouraged to bring along lanterns, toast, drums and bells, or any instrument that can make a noise to awaken the trees. This year will also feature a play performed by the Dove Valley Mummers.

Wassailing is a traditional ceremony that involves singing and drinking to the health of trees on the Twelfth Night. The purpose of wassailing is to awaken the cider apple trees and to scare away evil spirits to ensure a good harvest of fruit in the Autumn.
Historically the ceremonies of each wassail would vary but they generally all had the same core elements. A wassail King and Queen would lead the song or a processional tune; the wassail Queen would be lifted into the boughs of the tree to place toast soaked in wassail from the clay cup as a gift to the tree spirits, and to show the fruits created the previous year. Then an incantation is usually recited.

Rob Woodhouse, Manager of The Wolseley Centre, said: “We hosted this event last year after a break during the pandemic and it was really popular with both adults and children. 

“So many traditions have been lost over the years which is a real shame, so we want to help keep this one alive. So whatever the weather wrap-up warm and come along to sing, dance and make some noise!

“The event is free (donations are welcomed). We will also be running drop-in family crafts from 10am, which is the ideal chance to bring the family along to make some themed crafts and instruments which can be used to help wassail the trees later in the day.”

The main event is free and no booking is needed, the drop in craft activities are £5 per child. Hot and cold refreshments will be available to purchase from our Kingfisher Café. Parking donations are also welcomed.

For more information on the event please visit: www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk/events/2024-01-14-wassailing-wolseley-centre