Hexham Abbey Flower Festival

The Hexham Abbey Flower Festival is a fun packed day out for all the family! Taking place over the 21st - 23rd July, it is a celebration of colour, nature and creativity, with over 40 displays.

The Hexham Abbey Flower Festival is a fun packed day out for all the family!  Taking place over the 21st - 23rd July, it is a celebration of colour, nature and creativity, with over 40 displays.

The main feature of the long weekend involves the Hexham & District Flower Club covering the Abbey in an amazing series of displays which are all focussed on points of interest in the Abbey, including positions such as the Altar, Font, Night Stairs, Flavinus Stone, Frith Stool and many more! 

Outside on the lawns we have a large marquee and market theme, with a host of stalls, displays and activities for all.  There will be a main stage for workshops, talks and demonstrations on all manner of flower, garden and general outdoor themes — plus music and fun for all the family, including competitions, crafts, tombola, bouncy castle, BBQ and market stalls.

Price: free entry for all.

Opening times: 10am-5pm, 21st-23rd July.

We are hugely grateful to our sponsors and supporters who make this event possible, they include our headline partner, Everest, and sponsors; The Biscuit Factory, St James' Place, Beales and Andrew Coulson Sales and Lettings.  Our supporters include the Community Foundation, through the Winter Family Fund, and our very own Hexham BID group.

An event guide will be available for sale on entry, which includes all the information needed to plot your way around the site, featuring explanations and background to the various displays.  Please pick up a copy as all profits from the event guide sales are donated to the chosen charities of Hexham & District Flower Club, and the Hexham Abbey Roof Appeal.

For further information, call us on 01434 611908 or email gm@hexhamabbey.org.uk

Price: FREE

When: Friday, July 21, 2017 - 10:00 to Sunday, July 23, 2017 - 17:00

Where: Hexham Abbey Grounds

What's On - Friday
10:00
Hexham Abbey Flower Festival opens!
10:00-17:00
Stalls
A wide array of stalls are found on the cloister lawn, from the Biscuit Factory, Everest, our own Abbey Shop, Beales, Northumberland Honey Company, and more.
10:00-17:00
Bar
Grab a refreshing drink in the marquee, on the cloister lawn.
What's On - Saturday
10:00-17:00
Barbecue and bar
Enjoy an open air barbecue on the cloister lawn and grab a refreshing drink in the marquee.
10:00-17:00
Bouncy castle
An epic 18 by 16 foot bouncy castle will be erected on the cloister lawn, suitable for both adults and children!
10:00
Talk: Flower Power, Magic and Medicine
Discover some of the less known properties of flowers, including a focus on passionflower, and the incredible things they are used for, and have been used for throughout history. Find this talk in the marquee tent, located on the cloister lawn.
10:00-14:30
Herbal Teas display
Sample a wide range of herbal teas from all over the world.
10:00-14:30
Aromatic and Tasty Plants display
Explore an array of plants that will be sure to delight and surprise the senses.
10:30-15:30
Biscuit Decorating crafts workshop
Refine your inner baker, and your sweet tooth at this biscuit decorating workshop for all ages!
10:30-15:30
Paper Flowers crafts workshop
This family friendly workshop invites you to get creative making colourful paper flowers.
11:00
Talk: Flowers to calm and relax
Find your inner calm as you learn about lavender, lemon balm and motherwort. Find this talk in the marquee tent, located on the cloister lawn.
11:00, 12:00, 14:15
Lazy River Trad Jazz Band live music
Hailing from Carlisle, the Lazy River Jazz band will be performing a stylish set of "vintage hot trad jazz", featuring reeds, piano, banjo, trumpet, bass, vocals and sousaphone! You can catch the band's live performances in multiple sessions throughout the morning and afternoon on the cloister lawn.
11:30-12:00
School Micro Garden Competition Judging
Youngsters at local schools have been working hard developing their very own micro gardens, exhibiting an array of plants and flowers.
12:00
Talk: Blues Busting Flowers
Discover the emotional power of St Johns wort and skullcap! Find this talk in the marquee tent, located on the cloister lawn.
13:00
Little Mexico's Chilli Challenge
Can you handle the heat? Find out in this exciting culinary competition - sample a variety of different hot salsas, or if you are up to it, take a stab at the spicy chillis themselves!
13:30
Talk: Flower Essences
Hear about the essence of flowers in this talk from Physic Garden's Philippa Lee, taking place in the marquee on the cloister lawn.
14:00-15:00
Talk: Digestive flowers
Learn how fennel, peppermint and chamomile strengthen and empower the digestive system.
15:00-16:00
Talk: Flowers to induce sleep and sweet dreams
Mugwort, chamomile and valerian: three ordinary flowers that have an extraordinary application.
15:00, 14:30
The Cherry Pickers live music
Described as "the band with vocals, ukulele, guitar, bass, fiddle, squeezebox, banjo, washboard and spoons", The Cherry Pickers will be playing a lively selection of Americana, folk, country and jazz.
15:30
Flower Arranging Demonstration
Here at the Abbey we are lucky enough to have beautifully arranged flower displays all year round for weddings and festivities, with a particularly impressive array for this Flower Festival weekend. In this talk, the Hexham & District Flower Club share the secrets behind these aesthetic wonders.
What's On - Sunday
10:00-17:00
Barbecue and bar
Enjoy an open air barbecue on the cloister lawn and grab a refreshing drink in the marquee.
10:00-17:00
Bouncy castle
An epic 18 by 16 foot bouncy castle will be erected on the cloister lawn, suitable for both adults and children!
11.30-12.00
Talk : The value of a garden when buying or selling a home
Here Andrew Coulson give his expert insights on how a garden can add real value when thinking about selling a house.
12:00
Talk: "I was a Plant Hunter"
Philida Irving shares her experiences of a remarkable profession in this talk, taking place in the marquee on the cloister lawn.
13:30
Talk: "Growing Together: horticulture and social care in Northumberland"
Learn about the potency of combining gardening and social care, and the challenges and successes faced when implementing this approach. This talk is taking place in the marquee on the cloister lawn.
14:30-15:30
Leaf Manipulation crafts workshop
In this family friendly workshop led by the Hexham & District Flower Club, taking place outside on the cloister lawn, use leaves for new and exciting purposes!
Get involved
Available
Sponsor a display
Choose a display position and have your own unique design to show off to friends, clients and the general public. Sponsor names are acknowledged with a ‘Presented By’ notice and also receive an advert in the event guide book, plus two tickets to the opening VIP Cocktail reception. Costs are as little as £95! To find out more, contact us today on 01434 611908, or email gm@hexhamabbey.org.uk
Available
Host a stall, display, workshop, demonstration or presentation
Showcase your company, product and services by participating in the festival with a physical presence. We anticipate an audience of around 3,000 people over the festival, made up of the general public across all demographics, so if you have something to promote or a message to get across, this could be the ideal platform! We offer exhibitor positions in various locations on the site, choose the size of area you need. You can also contribute to the seminar programme with a company showcase, workshop or presentation. To find out more, contact us today on 01434 611908, or email gm@hexhamabbey.org.uk

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