An estimated 20,000 visitors packed Alresford in Hampshire for the 21st annual Watercress Festival, a popular event that marks the start of the UK watercress season.
Classmates Toma Macpherson and Aoife McAllister, both aged seven and from Sun Hill Infants and Junior School, were crowned Watercress King and Queen for the day by Tom Amery, managing director of The Watercress Company. Their watercress crowns were made by local florist Wild Bunch.
Led up Broad Street by morris dancers and a brass band, the Royal couple regally dispensed more than 300 bunches of freshly harvested watercress to the crowds from a horse and carriage.
Good Fermentation was awarded the Barter’s Best trophy for the most innovative use of watercress, having included it in their watercress kimchi, which judges Will Allam of Alre Watercress and Councillor Russell Gordon-Smith declared the winner.
Celebrity chefs Lesley Waters, Suki Pantal, Martin Dawkins, Phil Yeomans and Andy Mackenzie demonstrated the versatility of watercress in dishes ranging from smoothies and salads to curries and even dessert, while 400 visitors took the opportunity to walk to Manor Farm Watercress Farm to learn about how watercress is grown.
Children’s entertainment included funfair rides and face painting, while the adults enjoyed live music from brass bands, jazz groups, choirs and ukelele bands, along with festival favourite samba band Tuto Tribe.
Competitors from as far afield as Brighton and London joined the locals in the World Watercress Eating Championships, all bidding to eat 100g of watercress in the fastest time, a race which saw local champion Glenn Walsh take the winner’s crown with a time of 58 seconds.
Throughout the day, representatives from charity Abby’s Heroes encouraged visitors to donate cash in exchange for a bag of fresh watercress, giving out around 5,000 bags and raising an impressive £6,500. That sum will be boosted by the day’s raffle, which also went towards Abby’s Heroes and other local charities. The festival committee is hoping in due course to announce record sums to add to the £60,000 plus that has been raised for charity over the years.
Festival sponsors include The NFU Watercress Association, The Watercress Company, Wates, Lainston House, The Flowerpots, Hampshire Farmers Market, Charters, Brewin Dolphin, Vranken Pommery and a host of community groups.
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