A Proper English Day Out - Thriplow Daffodil Weekend
We've been to Thriplow Daffodil Weekend before and if you stick around we may go again in the future. You can read about last year here should you so desire. Back in 1969 the church roof in Thriplow was in need of repair - hardly a unique state of affairs in an English village. They'd always had a particularly fine display of daffodils in the village so people decided to open their gardens to the public and to serve tea from their own kitchens. The event raised £206, and thus encouraged, they decided to do it again the next year.
Thriplow Daffodil Weekend was born! Over the years it has raised over £400,000 for charities. Almost everyone in the little village does something to help out - manning car parks, printing posters, serving teas and all the many tasks involved in bringing the event to life. Over the weekend between 7,000 and 10,000 visitors attend including coach parties from other parts of the country. And every year they manage to coincide with a fine show of daffodils, mainly because the village has such an abundance of different varieties.
Apart from the daffs there is much to see: pony rides, the local blacksmith's shop, merry-go-rounds, morris dancers, stalls selling all manner of local produce, a basket maker, a magician, folk music, rock and jazz, a fairground organ, vintage cars and tractors, the raptor foundation and the RSPB have stalls, raffles, teas, fish and chips, beer and cider, trampolines for the children, ice cream, cart rides, organ music and a flower show in the church, history talks, bell-ringing demonstrations, working sheepdogs, stalls selling local produce......
Just as I was leaving a lady just in front of me suddenly stooped down and picked up something small and yellow from the road. "That was lucky!" she said. It turned out to be a small earring shaped like a daffodil. I thought at first she'd picked up something which someone else had dropped but, no, she had lost it herself earlier in the day and there it had lain, in the road with hundreds of people walking by - and no one had picked it up or trodden on it in all that time till, as luck would have it, she spotted it herself - now just how lucky is that?
This sounds like an outing I would enjoy, though perhaps exhausting in the variety of entertainments on offer. Daffodils are naturalized in fields and ditches in Kentucky--referred to as "March lilies" by the locals of native birth.
What a great celebration of spring. I love daffodils. Mine, which were brave enough to come up a couple days ago, are now buried under 9 inches of new snow!
What a delightful video and post John. Would love to have wandered amongst all those lovely old cars! A fun day for sure and how grand that it is a combined village effort. Thank you for sharing.
What a lovely day everyone had! I've just discovered some interesting little shaggy daffs called Rip Van Winkle, only £1 a pot from Morrison's too. I didn't know they were unusual until they came out the other day.
Haha! Loved the video John, just like being there :) I do remember this event from last year.. they have certainly raised a huge amount of money for charity over the years. Catch the daffs again next year :)
It's brilliant how communities can come together & raise money for charity. Like the way your film ids edited togther. Little moving snap-shots of the day.
What a lot of fascinating things you've gathered into your video, John.... Big trees from little acorns grow, and I'm certainly impressed with the way the Daffodil festival has blossomed from lowly beginnings.
When I had been married about a year (or so) I went to town to shop, and found when I got back into the truck the diamond from my engagement ring was missing. l I retraced all my steps, without any luck, and went back to the vehicle, very despondent. As I looked out the window, mournfully, I saw something glittering in the gutter! Yes, it was my diamond. I have always felt that was pretty lucky, but the earring certainly matches it for luck. So many people treading the ground, - not too many rolling in the gutter where my diamond was!!!
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I'll try to answer any questions via a comment or e-mail within the next day or two (no hard questions, please!).
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Looks like a fun festival. What a lucky lady, finding her earring after all that time.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous day out! I love old traditions like this!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an outing I would enjoy, though perhaps exhausting in the variety of entertainments on offer. Daffodils are naturalized in fields and ditches in Kentucky--referred to as "March lilies" by the locals of native birth.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lucky lady to find her earing like that. It looks a lovely, community festival and a great day out for visitors:)
ReplyDeleteThese traditional days seem to be dying out so glad to hear this one is going strong. What luck with the ear-ring.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Thriplow Daffodil Weekend. Fabulous! I loved that video - you've missed your vocation.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great celebration of spring. I love daffodils. Mine, which were brave enough to come up a couple days ago, are now buried under 9 inches of new snow!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed so much your post and learned something new and interesting about Triplow Daffodil Weekend in your country. And your video is GREAT!
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful video and post John. Would love to have wandered amongst all those lovely old cars! A fun day for sure and how grand that it is a combined village effort. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely day everyone had! I've just discovered some interesting little shaggy daffs called Rip Van Winkle, only £1 a pot from Morrison's too. I didn't know they were unusual until they came out the other day.
ReplyDeleteHaha! Loved the video John, just like being there :) I do remember this event from last year.. they have certainly raised a huge amount of money for charity over the years. Catch the daffs again next year :)
ReplyDeleteA lovely communtiy event. Like the child eating the ice cream cone in your video. Looks like a very successful turnout! -- barbara
ReplyDeleteIt's brilliant how communities can come together & raise money for charity. Like the way your film ids edited togther. Little moving snap-shots of the day.
ReplyDeleteEvents like this are great, I love Morris dancing. I lost a very nice earring in Bury St Edmunds cathedral but wasn't as lucky as that lady.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lot of fascinating things you've gathered into your video, John.... Big trees from little acorns grow, and I'm certainly impressed with the way the Daffodil festival has blossomed from lowly beginnings.
ReplyDeleteWhen I had been married about a year (or so) I went to town to shop, and found when I got back into the truck the diamond from my engagement ring was missing. l I retraced all my steps, without any luck, and went back to the vehicle, very despondent. As I looked out the window, mournfully, I saw something glittering in the gutter! Yes, it was my diamond. I have always felt that was pretty lucky, but the earring certainly matches it for luck. So many people treading the ground, - not too many rolling in the gutter where my diamond was!!!
That does look a perfect day out. I love village events, there's always something of interest.
ReplyDeleteLovely village party. And your video is lovely.
ReplyDeleteHugs
LOVE THE MUSIC! And a fine time was had by all :))
ReplyDeleteI hope the daffodil earring lady went right out and bought a lottery ticket - her luck is IN!
ReplyDeleteNicely edited video - yes, just the right length.
ReplyDelete