British Asparagus Festival Goes to The Dogs on St. George’s Day

April 23rd is St. George’s Day and the start of the annual British asparagus season. The day is marked in truly eccentric British style in the Vale of Evesham, the heart of the UK’s asparagus growing country.

The first-cut asparagus is bound as one gigantic round before being celebrated through dancing, and song at the UK’s oldest pub, The Fleece at Bretforton. Crowds turn out for the spectacle dressed in green to mix with Gus the Asparagus Man, Jemima the fortune-telling asparamancer and St. George himself alongside Morris Dancers, folk singers, and musicians.

Once the round of 100 asparagus spears has been blessed, a convoy delivers it to a different good cause every year where it is auctioned to raise money. This year it is heading to Waltham Abbey, home to the charity Dogs on the Streets (DOTS), dedicated to the welfare of dogs belonging to the homeless. The round will be presented by Gus and Jemima who will meet some of the doggy residents at DOTS main centre together with the staff who look after them.

Celebrations start at The Fleece at 11am with the convoy heading to DOTS at 1pm on 23rd April.