Join Sheppy's Cider to celebrate the ancient ritual of Wassail. Tickets on sale soon.

Wassail 2026

Friday 23rd Jan 5:30 PM - 10 PM 

Sheppy's House of Cider, TA4 1ER

Join Sheppy's Cider to celebrate the ancient ritual of Wassail on Friday, 23rd January 2026.

Doors open from 5:30pm - ceremony starts at 6.45pm

Food | Fires | Cider

Join us for an evening of chanting, dancing and tradition to help us ensure that next year’s harvest is a good one.

Wassail gets its name from an old English term “waes hael” meaning “be well” which was shouted like a toast with the reply “drinc hael” meaning “drink and be healthy” at festivities in the darkest days of January as far back as Saxon times. There are several types of Wassailing tradition (most involving hot spiced alcohol) but the important one for all cider-makers is blessing their apple trees.

Itinerary

5:30 pm Gates Open

5:45 pm Food starts (closes 8.15 pm)

6:15 pm Last Admission for Cars

6:45 pm Ceremony begins

8:00 pm Folk dancing and drinking

10:00 pm Event closes

Why not take public transport to the event? Bus 22 stops directly outside the House of Cider and runs all evening.