THERE are only a few weeks to go before the return of the Alresford Watercress Festival.

Taking place on Sunday, May 21, there will be a range of events for attendees to enjoy. This includes crowning the watercress king and queen, selected from among Sun Hill Junior and Infant School pupils. The king and queen will be crowned with watercress crowns by celebrity chef, Mark Hix before parading through town, throwing freshly harvested watercress to the crowds from the back of a horse-drawn carriage.

For lovers of antique vehicles, there will be two antique tractors guarding the entrance to East Street to be photographed and admired, while music lovers will be able to enjoy a range of musical styles from local bands including the Alresford Ukulele Jam, Pete Harris Quartet and TUTO Marcondes & BrazUKas.

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Kids will be able to look forward to fair rides, lessons from Juggling Jake, Falcon High bird of prey displays, a climbing wall and The World Watercress Eating Championships. This competition will see competitors aim to eat as much watercress as they can within the allotted time limit, with the winner being the person who ate the most.

Other competitions and raffles will be available with a wide range of prizes up for grabs. Mark Hix has donated a voucher worth £100 to spend at his Lyme Regis restaurant, The Oyster and Fish House, which he will be auctioning off himself. Meanwhile, raffle prizes will include a gin selection hamper, a YETI Roadie cool box, a crate of 12 local beers, and a star prize of £400.

Local children’s cancer charity, Abby’s Heroes with have volunteers roaming the festival to exchange bags of watercress for donations.

The festival is free to attend, with more information available online at watercressfestival.org.