Each January at the Heron Rocks heritage orchard the Friendship Centre holds a wassailing event. The word ‘wassail’ is Old English and means “be in good health”. The Orchard Wassail is the ancient practice of people going to sing to the apple trees to awaken them and ensure a good crop for the coming year. The “toast” for the trees really is toast, soaked in cider made from apples from those same trees! Each year a Wassail King and Queen dressed in royal attire lead the procession around several apple trees chanting words of encouragement to the trees and offering them toast dipped in cider. Afterwards everyone gathers around the fire, sips cider and visits with friends.


A gallery of the Orchard Wassailing of 2009 & 2010.