SPRING arrives in spectacular style in the Vale as the British Asparagus Festival launches tomorrow (April 23), St George’s Day, this, with one of the country’s most gloriously eccentric traditions.
At the historic The Fleece Inn, Bretforton a riot of Morris dancing, live music, classic cars and rural pageantry marks the ceremonial start of the Vale of Evesham asparagus harvest, launching two months of celebration across the region.
From early morning, crowds will gather as the courtyard fills with colour and sound, joined by the unmistakable Gus the Asparagus Man, the festival’s much loved green giant.
Vintage vehicles will line the orchard, whilst bells ring out from Morris sides, and St George’s Day festivities add to the sense of occasion.
Around 10am, the headline moment unfolds as the ‘hundred’, a selection of the season’s first spears are ceremonially paraded out of the pub.
It is joined by a convoy of Morgan cars and other classic vehicles in a uniquely English celebration of local food and farming.
Nigel Smith, landlord of the Fleece Inn and director of the British Asparagus Festival, said:
“It’s gloriously bonkers, that’s the whole point. Where else would you see asparagus treated like royalty, driven off in a motorcade while Morris dancers lead the charge?
“The Hundred and the Asparagus Festival launch celebrates the best of British, and signals the start of our gras menu, we’re proud to celebrate it.
“At its heart, the festival is a joyful celebration of the Vale of Evesham’s world-renowned asparagus and a powerful expression of England’s rural traditions, bringing together food, farming and festivity in a way that is both timeless and part of the national story.”
This long-standing tradition has previously seen Worcestershire asparagus delivered to Buckingham Palace, the European Parliament and the Japanese Embassy, highlighting the international reputation of Vale of Evesham asparagus.
In 2026, the destination is National Trust-owned Croome where the asparagus will be welcomed in the historic Walled Garden.
The visit will also celebrate Worcestershire’s tourism success and include a talk on the fascinating wartime history of nearby RAF Defford, reinforcing the festival’s connection to place, heritage and community.
Now over 20 years old, the festival grew from humble beginnings in Bretforton, where asparagus auctions held by Bretforton Silver Band raised funds for instruments.
Today, it has become a nationally recognised celebration of one of England’s most prized seasonal foods, known as much for its humour and characters as for its produce.
Traditions such as the Asparamancer, who predicts the future using asparagus spears, sit comfortably alongside a serious commitment to supporting local growers and promoting seasonal eating.
As evening falls, the celebrations return to the Fleece Inn, where Morris dancers once again take to the courtyard to mark St George’s Day, bringing the launch day to a vibrant and distinctly English close.
The launch forms part of a wider programme running until June 21, that included the Asparagus Express steam train experience that ran on April 18, asparagus-themed menus across the Vale of Evesham, and the historic Bretforton Silver Band Asparagus Auction on May 24 one of the festival’s founding traditions.
