The best harvest festivals in 2018
The glorious British summertime may be coming to its end, but in many ways it is the autumn where the UK truly comes into its own. The days turn from uncomfortably hot to refreshingly cool and jumper-friendly, the landscape transformed into a technicolour of oranges, reds and browns, and autumn produce begins to works its way into soups, stews and roasts.
So what better excuse is there to get on your favourite jumper, dig out your wellies and attend one of the many harvest festivals taking place through September and October? Whether you have a prize marrow that needs measuring or you fancy trying your hand at scarecrow stuffing or jam making, there's truly something to cater for everyone...
Harvest season at Canons Ashby
Throughout September, Northamptonshire
Visit the historic site of Canons Ashby in September to see the house and church decorated for the harvest, with events running throughout the month. Fresh produce will be available to take home from the garden bench for a donation, a harvest trail will be set up around the parkland, a harvest concert will be taking place on September 22 and on September 29-30 the annual apple weekend will be taking place, where visitors have the opportunity to give apple pressing a go.
Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 3SD
Harvest Festival at Tatton Park
September 15-16, Cheshire
The Farm at Tatton Park will be celebrating the harvest festival this year with a day of scarecrow making, sheep racing and woodturning, with a harvest blessing taking place at 2pm. Have a go on the steam engine, try your hand at some of the craft workshops and enjoy the brass band that will be playing throughout the day.
Open from 12pm-5pm, Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6QN
Toby Buckland's Garden Festival at Forde Abbey
September 15-16, South West
After the success of their first Harvest Festival in 2017, Forde Abbey will be going all out to celebrate the event this year. With celebrity garden talks in The Great Hall, harvest workshops like jam-making and photography in a demo teepee, circus skills and an apple press, this festival is set to be one of the most exciting of the year. Unlike most festivals which are free to enter, tickets for this one cost £10 - but it's well worth it - the majority of the talks, walks and demos are free once you're in.
Open from 10pm-5pm, Forde Abbey, Chard, Somerset TA20 4LU
Daylesford Harvest Festival
September 22, Gloucestershire
Set within the picturesque location of the flagship Daylesford farm in Gloucestershire, the annual event will be providing a glorious festival vibe with live music, apple bobbing, home produce competitions and plenty of demonstrations, workshops and challenges. One for the foodies, the fire pits will be lit to cook delicious organic produce from their market garden, with 50p off for everyone who brings their own reusable cups and containers.
Open from 10am-5pm, Daylesford near Kingham, Gloucestershire, GL56 0YG
London Harvest Festival
September 29, London
Marking their 20th year, the London Harvest Festival will be celebrating from a new location in Woodlands Farm in Greenwich with animals, farm craft activities and some of London's best home grown produce going up on display. The new location now also boasts 89 acres of working farm and ancient woodland to wander round when you've had enough of apple juicing and jam tasting.
Open from 10am-5pm, Woodlands Farm, Greenwich, DA16 3RP
Bowhill House Harvest Festival
September 30, Selkirk
To celebrate the last day of the season, Bowhill House will be putting on a day of wood turning with on site specialist Calum, horse logging demonstrations and plenty more. Visitors can also enter the Bowhill House bake off - keen bakers of all ages (they have an over 12 category and an under 12) can apply online and bring their showstopper for judging on the day.
Open from 11am-4pm, Bowhill House, Selkirk TD7 5ET
RHS Harvest Festival Show
October 2-3, Westminster
Once again the RHS will be celebrating the harvest festival with their famed giant pumpkin competition, along with more than 150 different categories of autumn produce that will be going up for judging. Wander through the displays of fruit and veg, taste samples from an array of producers like The Garlic Farm, Pennard Plants and Sea Spring Seeds, and try your hand at pumpkin carving in this family-forward day of activities.
Open from 10am-5pm, RHS Lindley Hall, SW1P 2QW
Chiltern Open Air Museum's Harvest Festival
October 13-14, Buckinghamshire
The Chiltern Open Air Museum's harvest festival is a great opportunity to discover the traditions of our farming history. The museum's 1947 threshing machine has been restored and will be working through the year's wheat crop, plenty of harvest produce will be on display for festival goers to see, and live folk music will accompany a BBQ for all to enjoy.
Newland Park Gorelands Lane Chalfont St Giles Buckinghamshire HP8 4AB
