Old apple tree, we wassail thee! One of the premier festivals on the Tasmanian festival calendar is the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival, a three-day pagan-inspired celebration of the apple history of the region. If you haven’t dressed up and sung at apple trees in the dark recently, then this festival is an experience you must embrace!
The Huon Valley festival is run annually by Willie Smith’s and draws on the traditions of cider-producing regions of south-west England. The main event, the wassail, takes place on Saturday night and involves a ritual performed by Morris dancers from all over the country. Think fire, banging pots, singing and gunshots.
The festival beckons visitors from near and far with a perfect melding of irresistible local food, wine, beer and – of course – cider, warming bonfires, mesmerising folk music, dancing and storytelling.
