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Wassail 2007 at Middle Farm was a fantastic success. Bagman Chris' Wassail blog from MySpace.com
Wassail 2006 had about 150 dancers and punters. This year I moved it to a new venue Middle Farm, Firle, Sussex home of the national collection of perry and cider. 350+ joined Hunters Moon Morris to Wassail the Apple trees. Guests included Wild Hunt, Wolf's Head & Vixen, Mythago, Knots of May, Pentacle Drummers also Rampant Rooster who rang earlier in the day asking if they could come along. We also had a dancer from Long Man Morris turn up on his own. Were a friendly bunch down here in Sussex, and they were all up for a party. The evening kicked off with drumming then a couple of dances from all the morris sides. Later we assembled for the torch lit procession. It wound it's way through the farm across dark fieldsto the orchard where a huge bonfire was waiting to be lit, the people just kept coming.
I led our Wassail song and chant. We blessed our steaming chalice of mulled cider and cider cake. Bang, the shotgun sounded, drums beat out whistles blew, cheers, shouts whooping and holla's rang out from every part of the orchard. The trees were roused. Everyone took cider and cake ate some but gave some to the trees.
The dance floor was packed, everyone was happy, smiling or laughing. Many families came and it was amazing seeing all these wide eyed kids staring at all these strange people, or was it 'oh pissed adults again! And then the Mummers appeared, 'A roamer a gallant roamer give me room to rhyme, iv'e come to show you british sport upon this christmas time.........fot 15 min's we went through our story of death, magic and rebirth with the revised Compton Tipteerers play. The party continued with tunes and dancing, I let my hair down now as I had had to remain relatively un-pickled up until then, just slightly though! It all had to come to an end though. At 12:00 our chariot arrived to take us to our very content slumber.
I knew all the hard work and anxiety had paid off. I had managed to create the traditional village atmosphere which is what i had visualized. Everyone I hope went away with a smile and happy, even if they did get a bit muddy. I wonder what will happen with Wassail 2008." Many thanks to our Bagman Chris and his partner for all their hard work, to all of Hunters Moon Morris who helped set up the day and decorate the barn and dress the trees, and to Middle Farm for their excellent hospitality. For more information about this, and next year's Wassail contact: Chris - Bagman For more information about Chris - visit his blog on MySpace.com
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"Well what a night. This was the first major event I had organised. 
The thirteen apple trees had been decorated with ribbons and shimmered in the light of the torches. Our host lit the bonfire(the people of sussex like their bonfires!). When it took sparks spat and cracked in the cold night air. 
Back to the barn now for our wassail party. The 'scratch band' played for our barn dance the caller used her knowledge of being a dancer to call her very first ceilidh. 'You would not of known' came a comment from another local caller. Looks like my partner has another string to her bow. 
I am not usually lost for words but I have to say, when I saw all those people having such a brilliant time from my vantage point on top of the hay stack stage, 