VACATIONS FROM HOME: NANTWICH FESTIVALS

JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH
It would be an understatement to say that Nantwich is like a second home for your favorite traveling tandem. We first started coming to this Cheshire town in 2011 when Janet's daughter married a lad from here and over these past dozen years, we've lost count how many times we've come to Nantwich.

All our trips here are simple and filled with family togetherness and activities. Throw in a couple of side trips to Chester or York, a couple of pub crawls and now, watching the grandchildren play football (soccer) and you have another successful visit.

WILD BEAVER PIE, PIZZA IN A BAG, AND BEER

One would think after a dozen years the routine would lead to boredom, but Nantwich offered up a lively diversion earlier in September when we were last there. For the first time we got to experience the well-attended Nantwich Food Festival. Even though Colin, the English father-in-law, groused that the festival is too crowded and too expensive Janet and I were very excited about this event and it was a joy to wade through the crowds.

Food Festival takeaway

There were several clusters of exhibitors in various parts of the town, offering street food, cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts, live music and lots of alcohol. If it weren’t for the magnificent St. Mary’s Church in the center of town this festival could be found in America, except America itself isn’t as old as St. Mary’s church. Work began on the church in 1340.

There were several stages for acoustic and electric bands dotted throughout town and food vendors sold cheeses and baklava, pierogies, steak and ale pies and surprisingly good BBQ, fries (or chips) and cannoli, just to name a few items. There were exhibitors who sold prepacked meals, like pizza kits in a bag or steak and ale pies to take home and heat up for that evening's tea. Several vintners and gin distillers were represented and quite a few micro-brewery beer stands. At one far of town there were small amusement rides set up in a supermarket parking lot.

Nantwich Food Fest

Even High Street, a usually quiet pedestrian walkway, was packed with revelers shuffling along from one area of the festival to the next. Temporary kiosks selling cheeses and wines slowed them further. High Street goes through the town’s main square and St. Mary’s is at one end, while the Crown Hotel, a waddle and daub structure, erected soon after the Great Fire of Nantwich in 1583, is a bit further along. All the pubs were packed and people who purchased beers or alcohol at the kiosks shuffled around on this Saturday afternoon, the sun brilliant.
Leaving the festival our family contingent did a small pub crawl beginning in the Wickstead Arms Pub and then over to the Red Cow so the children could run around in the massive beer garden on the premises. Janet and I hadn’t planned to be here during the Food Festival but toasted our serendipity regardless.

NANTWICH FOOD FESTIVAL

Wait, there's more!

Incredibly these was not the only event on the calendar for this small town Nantwich. There are several festivals. Here's a quick listing of everything and I'm sure we'll get to them all eventually.

THE NANTWICH SHOW – Late July

It’s basically a revved-up 4H show held in July at Reaseheath College a land-based (or agricultural school), within an easy walk from the Barony in Nantwich. Not only are you able to watch sheep shearing and livestock parades, riders on shire horses, live entertainment, cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts, and food vendors, but displays of WWII aircraft on the grounds.

If you’re able to break yourself away from the egg competitions, the International Cheese Show is worth the entry fee. Begun in 1897 it is the largest such competition in the world, featuring over 5,000 variations of cheese on display and for sampling and purchase. Don’t forget to look for Nantwich Blue Cheese, our favorite.

THE NANTWICH SHOW

NANTWICH JAZZ AND BLUES FESTIVAL – Easter Weekend - 2024

Nantwich will be hopping to live music at venues all around town during the Jazz and Blues Festival. Last year there were 140 separate shows scattered over 15 different venues, including a stage in the town square, several pubs and headlining acts at the Civic Hall.

We’ve been told that Nantwich gets even more crowded during the Jazz festival than the Food Festival!

NANTWICH JALL AND BLUES FESTIVAL

THE BATTLE OF NANTWICH – January 27 2024

On January 15,1644 a major battle broke out in Nantwich during the English Civil Wars, resulting in a victory for the Parliamentarians over the Royalists loyal to King Charles I. Eventually Charles I was dethroned and beheaded, but each year on Holly Holy Day members of the Sealed Knot Society parade through town in period dress and eventually reenact the battle.

Men and women with muskets and pikes and cannon and a fair amount of drinking? What could go wrong?

BATTLE OF NANTWICH

There are several more such events during the year. The Nantwich Town Council’s website provides more details:

NANTWICH FESTIVALS

Nantwich is a gem. We are very fortunate to have discovered this great little town.

CHARMED I'M SURE?

Finally one last event to consider though it is in the little town of Willaston, just outside of Nantwich. Each June the World's Worm Charming Championship is held on the grounds of Willaston County Primary School as a fundraiser in 1980. Presided over by the International Federation of Charming Worms and Allied Pastimes IFCWAP) the event lures people from all over the country as they attempt to "charm" worms to the surface to be counted and weighed.