BEWDLEY’S popular Mid-Winter Festival will celebrate food, live music and wassailing.

The free event, organised by Wyre Forest District Council, will take place on Saturday, January 9, from noon to 3.30pm and will feature a performance of the beloved Bewdley Wassail.

Entertainment during the event will feature the Wassail Woman, Kickin’ Alice and their Appalachain dancers, live music from local choirs and blues band the Honeyboy Jones.

Dishes from local traders will be available throughout the event at the Food Village, located by Bewdley Museum. There will also be a wide range of ciders to taste, including mulled cider and local classics.

The parade will assemble by the Green Theatre at 2pm and travel through the Jubilee Gardens to the Community Orchard for the 2016 Wassail Ceremony. Residents are also invited to recycle and use leftover Christmas ribbons to decorate the orchard’s apple trees.

Visitors can also show off their creativity and love of nature in the best dressed Wassail hat competition. You can bring your hat with you or drop in to the hat-making workshop between noon and 2pm to get your creation competition ready.

The competition will have a category for both children and adults, and will be judged by the mayor of Bewdley, Councillor Calne Edginton-White, and local resident Peter Archer.

Cllr Sally Chambers, cabinet member for health, wellbeing and housing, said: “This event is perfect for the whole family so make sure you pop into Bewdley and enjoy a free afternoon.

“There will be live music and delicious food on offer.

“I look forward to seeing what sort of hats are created for this year’s competition.”

And a free park and stride initiative will be available at Bewdley High School between 10am and 5pm.

For more information visit the website at bewdl eymuseum.co.uk