Wassailing the Orchards - Saturday 17th January 2026
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This is our 8th Wassail at Gibbet Oak Farm and we’re very excited to invite you back!
The tradition of wassailing dates back to pagan times, with "Was Hael" originating from Old English, meaning "Good Health". The first recorded wassail took place in Kent in the 1400s. If you're unfamiliar, a wassail is a celebration of the past harvest and a blessing for the future crop. It involves honouring the trees and scaring away evil spirits to ensure a fruitful year ahead. This family-friendly event offers the chance to learn traditional wassail songs and join in the festivities.
We're thrilled to once again have the fantastic Ashford Folk musicians leading the torch-lit procession and providing evening entertainment. Joining us for the evening will be The Jolly Boys – a newly formed group featuring members of the former Woodchurch Morris Men alongside dancers from other local Morris sides, performing their traditional dances.
The Ceremony: 17:45–19:00
The torch-lit procession will begin promptly at 18:00, with torches being lit just beforehand. We’ll be walking for 15–20 minutes into the orchard, so please ensure you’re warmly dressed for a winter’s evening and wearing sturdy footwear. This is a farm, so expect the possibility of mud. The ceremony will take place in the orchard, where everyone is encouraged to join in with the wassail songs and help scare away the spirits. We’ll then return to the farm building for the second part of the evening. The return walk could take an additional 15 minutes, so we aim to be back by 19:00.
From 19:00
Enjoy folk music, Morris dancing, and general merriment as the celebrations continue.
Food and Drinks
A paid bar will be available, offering a fantastic selection of mulled cider, still and sparkling cider, beer, and non-alcoholic hot and cold drinks. The bar will be open both before and after the ceremony. A range of gourmet, locally sourced food will also be on offer, with both meat and vegan options provided by Wild Tayberry. Food and drink will be served throughout the evening.
Transport
There will be no parking on site. This is for safety reasons, we are on a dangerous road, and also to stem the environmental impact of having many vehicles on site.
Instead, we’re offering a return coach service from outside the Vine Pub in Tenterden.
Address is: 76 High Street, Tenterden, TN30 6AU
Transport coaches will run between 16:10 and 17:30 from Tenterden to Gibbet Oak Farm. Return coaches will run from 19:00 until 21:30. Please note that you will only be able to travel on the coach that you've booked with your ticket.
By prior arrangement, drop-offs will be allowed. Please email wassail@nightingalecider.com to arrange for this.
Parking (no parking at the event)
The following car parking is available in Tenterden and charged until 18:00 at £1.30 an hour:
- Recreation Ground Road car park (Waitrose side)
- Recreation Ground Road car park (smaller car park on the Recreation Ground)
- Leisure Centre car park
- Station Road car park
Before and After the Event
Tenterden is a lovely town to enjoy in the day before the event, and has a selection of great pubs and overnight stay options if you wish to keep going later into the evening.
If you have special requirements, please email wassail@nightingalecider.com and we will try our best to accommodate you.
Dogs
Please note that your furry companions will have to stay at home. We're a working farm and, while we love all dogs big and small, we can't have them on the site. Apologies, but we hope you understand!
What's Included:
🚌 Transportation - coach from Tenterden - Station Road Coach Park
🍺 First Drink - pint of beer/cider or mulled cider (non alcoholic beverage for under 18s)
What you'll need:
🧤 Warm clothing - warm clothing to be outside on a cold winter's night.
🥾 Footwear - sturdy footwear suitable for mud and unstable footing.
☂️ Waterproofs - if rain is forecast.