The celebration of the peppery salad leaf will be on Sunday, May 18, with the newly crowned Watercress King and Queen distributing freshly harvested bunches from local farms.
This leaf has been cultivated in the area since Victorian times.
The event will also feature a host of celebrity chefs demonstrating the versatility of watercress in a range of dishes from smoothies to curries and even desserts.
More than 100 vendors from Hampshire Farmers Market will be participating, along with independent craft stalls, many of which will be watercress-themed.
These vendors will also compete in Barter’s Best, a competition recognising the most innovative uses of watercress.
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Glenn Walsh is still waiting to hear if he holds the Guinness World Record (Image: The Alresford Watercress Festival) For those interested in learning about the unique growing methods of the crop, tours of the watercress farms will be available.
Live music and entertainment will be a staple of the festival, and the World Watercress Eating Championships will serve as the grand finale.
Last year’s winner, Glenn Walsh, is still waiting to hear if he holds the Guinness World Record for eating an 80g bag of watercress in the fastest time of 28.98 seconds.
Attendees can sign up on the day to try and beat this record.
The festival promises to be a fun family day out, catering to all ages.
Entry to the festival is free, but there is a nominal charge for parking.
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Live music and entertainment will be a staple of the festival (Image: The Alresford Watercress Festival) Alternatively, visitors can use park and ride , arriving in Alresford by vintage train on the Watercress Line, a nod to its historical significance in transporting watercress to London markets during Victorian times.
Bags of watercress will be available throughout the day in exchange for a donation to the festival’s chosen charity, Abby’s Heroes, a local children’s cancer charity.
Last year, the festival raised £5,837 for the cause and festival organisers are keen to surpass this amount this year.
The festival has largely enjoyed good weather, with only three out of 21 festivals experiencing rain.
However, attendees are encouraged to be prepared for all eventualities.
For more information and updates on new attractions being added to the festival, visit watercressfestival.org or follow the festival on social media.