Welcome to the 2012 British Asparagus Festival in the Vale of Evesham

AsparaBus Experience.....

Has the weather and the shortage of asparagus prevented you from enjoying your favourite vegetable this year?

Never fear, the AsparaBus is here – with pick up points from a venue near you on either Wednesday 16th or 25th May,   why not join this unique asparagus filled day tour?

• Your asparagus experience will include  morning coffee at The Fleece Inn at Bretforton combined with a short talk about the pubs’ history and an asparagus tying demonstration
   
• Lunch break in the market town of Evesham where you can sample one of the many asparagus dishes on offer at a variety of eating places
   
• A visit to Revills Farm shop in Defford where you can taste and buy purple asparagus as well as enjoying outstanding cookery demonstrations
   
• Plenty of opportunities to buy fresh Vale Gras throughout the day and also to talk to local growers and horticultural experts.

With limited tours left this year, what are you waiting for? Don’t miss out – call Dudleys Coaches on 01386 792206 for further information and to book your seats.

Download the 2012 Asparagus Programme

Click here to download the 2012 Asparagus Programme.

Dont' forget that you can also get all the latest news and information on your mobile by scanning the QR code below. If you're not sure what this is visit Wikipedia for more details.

"Proud to be English" - by Glynis Dray

St. George’s day, April 23rd 2012, just two days after Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s 80th birthday and we were up at 6am and in Bretforton shortly after 8am. For those of you who have never heard of Bretforton, it is just the other side of Evesham on the edge of the Cotswolds and it has a pretty village centre steeped in tradition. One of its annual highlights is the Asparagus Festival which is always launched on St. George’s Day and ends traditionally on Midsummer’s Day – June 21st.

The day began at The Fleece Inn, the band was playing Elgar’s ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ (one Malvern Wells connection) and a tractor carrying a ‘bundle’, which is twenty Asparagus Spears (albeit made of polystyrene and some 8 feet high) was in the line up. A ‘Dudley’s’ Coach was awaiting the growers, organisers, councillors, mayors and invited guests, hereon referred to as ‘the dignatories’ who were partaking of an asparagus breakfast in one of the barns. Morris Dancers were part of the entertainment and as soon as the local children arrived at school they were being brought along to do the flag-waving with their St. George’s Day Flags. ‘Gus’ the Asparagus Spear was there in all his glory and the ‘Round’ of ‘Gras’ (120 buds of Vale of Evesham Asparagus in 6 raffia bound ‘bundles’ picked early on St. George’s Day and tied with local willow osiers) was standing on a Royal Worcester Platter waiting to begin its journey to the Queen’s Dining Table as a Diamond Jubilee Gift from the Vale of Evesham. There was an official photographer but I had been invited by the organiser to sketch details of this Great English Asparagus Run (a second Malvern Wells connection). A third ‘Malvern’ connection was that for the first part of the journey to Evesham then on to Stratford (after all it was the anniversary of Shakespeare’s Birthday as well as St. George’s Day) the Queen’s Asparagus was carefully packed in the picnic hamper at the back of a ‘Morgan’!

This grand procession with its police escort arrived in Evesham for a few speeches then went on to Stratford where the dignatories met more dignatories,  there were further speeches and a lunch and some Asparagus ‘runners’ appeared carrying Olympic style torches with asparagus spears as ‘flames’. The precious ‘Round of Asparagus’ was transferred to a second Dudley’s Coach and off it went by road to Buckingham Palace to be presented to the Queen.

The ceremony in London took place in a reception room at the Palace and the present was due to be passed on to the Queen the following day.The organiser, Angela Tidmarsh received a special 60th Anniversary ‘Thank You’ letter from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (click to read the Queen's letter and the Acknowledgement). We hope that those who dined with the Queen the following day enjoyed their Worcestershire delicacy, asparagus, grown in the Vale of Evesham overlooked by many residents of Malvern Wells – it makes you Proud to be English!

Asparagus Toothpaste?

Asparamancer's Tasty Tips - predictions for 2012

Jemima Packington,  the world famous Asparamancer has once again made her predictions for 2012 with the help of Worcestershire asparagus which she had frozen from last years’ crops

Jemimas’ predictions have been eagerly sought after by the media following the accuracy of the past two years.    Ms Packington says “ I put my successes down entirely to the quality and uniqueness of Worcestershire asparagus – I’ve tried Gras from other countries but nothing compares…..” 

1. EURO 2012 - Some elderly Lions may be recalled to the Pride, but the winner will not come from Group D. (So sorry to all loyal England soccer fans) Spain will not win a second EURO, look to Germany or Holland.

2. The economy will settle and things will look much brighter in the second half of the year.

3. The Olympic Games will enjoy excellent weather and the British Olympic team will enjoy great success.

4. Not one but two Royal pregnancy announcements.

5. A change of leadership for one of the UK's main political parties.

6. An animal will win an acting award.

7. Several famous personalities will 'come out' as gay or be 'outed' which will cause great surprise.

8. Devolution referendum will be granted to Scotland.

9. Laws will be introduced to prevent the likes of the press phone hacking scandal from happening again.

10. The euro will finally collapse but it won't be as catastrophic on the British economy as supposed.

11. The death of a high profile British figure will cause great sorrow.

The festival, which takes place each year on St George’s Day, is part of a two month-long celebration of the King of Vegetables. The event is vitally important to tourism in the region and brings together a host of businesses in and around the Vale of Evesham.

2011 British Asparagus Festival & Auctions brings May madness

Kicking off with the frenetic 2011 asparagus auctions starting at 6pm on Sunday 29th May, the British Asparagus Festival reaches its finale this Bank Holiday weekend in a burst of true British eccentricity.

Bank Holiday Monday offers a day of everything asparagus including food, drink and even bath products made from asparagus – all for sale or to try. Asparagus whittling, asparamancy, asparagus crafts and even Morris Dancing with an asparagus theme will be on offer to delight the ten-thousand strong crowds.

Dont miss this pinnacle event of the Festival taking place at The Fleece Inn, Bretforton.   For details of all events download the EDT-Asparagus Festival Day 2011 programme

2011 King of Asparagus Competition...

Police Inspector Michael Brown from Redditch was crowned the first ever Asparagus King at the launch of the Festival

British Asparagus Festival Programme 2011

The British Asparagus Festival is delighted to welcome Festival goers both old and new to this year's event and thank you for joining us in celebrating one of Britain's most luxurious vegetables.

Last year an estimated 8,000 people enjoyed the pinnacle event on Bank Holiday Monday - The Festival Day at The Fleece Inn, Bretforton(NT).

Programme includes details of; The Great English Asparagus Run, Asparabus Tours, Harvington Village 'Gras' Games, Bretforton Silver Band & Asparagus Auction, Asparagus Festival Day and Bretforton Church Asparagus Auction.

Download the PDF programmme now...
(File size is 8MB so this may take a few minutes to download)

Flippin' Good Fun at the Asparapancake Race

Asparamancer's Tasty Tips - predictions for 2011

Celebrating the fact it is one of the finalists in the Where Else But England Awards, Worcestershire’s Asparagus Festival has called on Jemima Packington, asparamancer extraordinaire to predict its chances of winning. Jemima has also looked at what is likely to be hitting the headlines in 2011  and what the year holds for the rest of us.

1. Two UK political party leaders will be ousted .

2. House prices will fall dramatically, even more than has been predicted by the financial sector up to as much as 20 percent .

3. A royal baby will be announced .

4. Financial problems will not be limited to the Euro area - America will feel a loss of confidence in its assets .

5. The film ' The King's Speech ' will win Oscars especially for Colin Firth .

The festival, which takes place each year on St George’s Day, is part of a two month-long celebration of the King of Vegetables. The event is vitally important to tourism in the region and brings together a host of businesses in and around the Vale of Evesham.

Asparamania reaches new heights in the Vale of Evesham

The Bank Holiday weekend saw thousands of asparamad people from all over the World visit The Fleece Inn at Bretforton to celebrate the majestic green spear that has made the area so famous!

Starting off the festivities on Sunday evening was the increasingly popular Bretforton Silver Band Asparagus Auction – where once again, the finest “Gras” was being sold in aid of the village band with prices hitting record levels of up to £50 a bundle! Auctioneer Colin Jelfs described the event as “outstanding” and was delighted to welcome “for one night only"..Celebrity Auctioneer -  Adam Henson from the BBC Countryfile programme who were filming throughout the evening.  Adam sold the rounds that he had cut earlier that day especially for the asparagus feature (which will be screened on on Sunday 13th June) and said “he was delighted to be at the event and was amazed at the enthusiasm of the bidders”!

An estimated 8,000 visitors made their way to Bretforton on BH Monday to enjoy a fun packed asparagus day with cookery demonstrations, local arts and crafts, farmers market, vintage motor cycles and cars, fire eating, sheep shearing, Barn owls, cider making, pole lathe workers, Gus the Asparagus man;  Henry Sandon MBE whose Asparagus Roadshow was packed throughout the afternoon;  Jemima Packington, the worlds only Asparamancer and Dr Colin Harris  with his folklore talks and presentations.

Early indications show that more than half the visitors were attending the event for the first time, and 95% said they would be returning next year as they had had such a wonderful “English” experience with the “best ever” asparagus….

Nigel Smith – landlord of The Fleece said  ”The weather has been kind to us and today has exceeded all our expectations – we have had a fantastic turnout, with people visiting and also some amazing exhibitors.  I hope everyone, without question has had a brilliant day and is now asparagussed out!”

Festival launch - 23rd April - St Georges Day

Photographs from the launch!

Make asparagus the symbol of England!

The Scots have the thistle, the Welsh have their leeks and the Irish have shamrock. England has a red rose but, most people are either unaware of this fact, or think of it as a symbol of love.

So, we want to make asparagus the new symbol of England starting on St George's Day itself. We also want asparagus to become synonymous with St George's Day as the official food - as much a part of the celebrations as Guinness is on St Patricks Day.

If you agree, sign our petition and don't forget to join us in Evesham's Abbey Park from 8am on St George's Day to celebrate the start of the Asparagus Festival.

Asparamancer's Tasty Tips - predictions for 2010

Celebrating the fact it is one of the finalists in the Where Else But England Awards, Worcestershire’s Asparagus Festival has called on Jemima Packington, asparamancer extraordinaire to predict its chances of winning. Jemima has also looked at what is likely to be hitting the headlines in 2010  and what the year holds for the rest of us.

POLITICS

Gordon Brown will be out of politics by the end of the year.  Following a General Election there will be a hung Parliament and David Cameron will form a minority goernment with the help of the minor parties

ROYAL FAMILY

There will be a Royal engagement surprise and also a high-profile Royal health scare or death

SPORT

Manchester United will win the Carling Cup and England will go OUT in the first or second World Cup round.

CELEBRITY
Susan Boyle will announce her engagement

Cheryl Cole will reveal she is pregnant but there will be speculation over who the father is George Clooney & Helen Mirren will win Oscars

WEATHER
The UK will experience an extended heatwave which will see a melt down in many cities

Commenting on her fortune telling skills, Jemima Packington said:

“Vale of Evesham asparagus is not in season at the moment and I refuse to use anything else. I have made my predictions using asparagus sausages which might account for some small anomalies”

The festival, which takes place each year on St George’s Day, is part of a two month-long celebration of the King of Vegetables. The event is vitally important to tourism in the region and brings together a host of businesses in and around the Vale of Evesham.

An Ode to Asparagus’ - by Trevor Harrison aka Eddie Grundy from "The Archers"

You make no sound, you make no fuss,
O great and noble asparagus.
Upon this date, to you we hail
The finest spears in this fine vale.
You are so grand, so pure and able
And you can grace any great table.
Your flavour is famous but it would be kinder
If I knew a way to make asparagus cider!
You have got what every vegetable doth desire,
To be planted, born and bred it fairest Worcestershire!

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