Celebrate the English apple at Mary Arden’s Farm

Join the Tudors at Mary Arden’s Farm in Wilmcote on Sunday 3 October for this year’s annual Apple Day - a celebration of our favourite English apples! Enjoy a big bite of countryside fun with the largest ever programme of crafts, activities and entertainment to welcome the harvest season.

This year’s Apple Day promises to be even more exciting with plenty of locally brewed ciders and juices, preserves and cakes. As well as a programme of fun activities including apple identification, apple games, apple tasting and an apple day trail; this year’s highlights include a hog roast and a country market showcasing unique crafts and local produce such as cakes, jams, vegetables, soaps and jewellery.

Visitors can get a real flavour for Mary Arden’s Farm and see the resident Tudors at work, cooking up authentic apple and harvest recipes in the kitchen. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own bucket of apples with a container and press their own apple juice plus make their own toffee apple from choosing it to dipping it!

In keeping with the annual event, there will be lots of unusual crafts to see and buy, such as spinning and weaving, Tudor giftware and woodturning, as well as some special guests – the alpacas and the exceptionally curly haired Mangalitsas boar pigs “Shaggy & Peeps” and “Q”, the hooded vulture. Entertainment runs throughout Apple Day with musicians and dancers including The Appleyard Dancers, Gloriana & the Drakes Broughton Folk Band plus Morris Men performing the “Apple Day Play”, falconry from horseback, sheep dog trials, the Goat Grand National and Tudor Tug of War.

There is plenty of entertainment for children in the ‘Bards Corner’ including face painting, apple colouring, apple word searches, the longest apple peel competition and guess the number of apples in the cart competition. Children’s races including the traditional apple and spoon race will also take place.

Paul Hatfield, Manager of Mary Arden’s Farm said: “We’re delighted to host our popular annual Apple Day which many people look forward to each year. There are plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy, and this year we are joined by a number of societies that also support the countryside and it’s wildlife. Apple Day is a great opportunity to meet societies such as the RSPB, the Bee Keepers Association and the British Trust of Conservation Volunteers, and find out more about some of the great work that they are doing and how to get involved”.

Tickets costs £9.50 for adults, £5.50 for children, £7.50 for concessions and £24.50 for a family and are valid for a full twelve months, so after Apple Day memories have faded visitors can go back again and again throughout the year, for free!

Mary Arden’s Farm is situated in Wilmcote, just outside Stratford-upon-Avon. There is free parking, a café and adventure playground, as well as further Tudor events and activities throughout the year.

Visit shakespeare.org.uk for more information.