Families in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, can take part in a traditional winter celebration at Wightwick Manor and Gardens from 14 February to 22 February 2026. The half-term event centres on the ancient custom of wassailing, a ritual intended to bless fruit trees and encourage a better crop in the year ahead.
The National Trust is organising the activities to offer local families outdoor heritage programming during the February half-term. Visitors can follow a wassail trail through the site’s about 17-acre gardens to hunt for missing words, sing out for spring and learn about tree and garden care.
Live entertainment includes traditional clog dancing — the National Trust lists a ‘Wassail with Beggars’ Oak Clog’ performance (for example, 12:00–13:00 on 21 February is shown on the events page; check the National Trust website for the full schedule). Wightwick Manor was first built from 1887 (with later extensions) and was donated to the National Trust by Geoffrey Mander in 1937; the house’s Arts and Crafts heritage and the Mander family’s collecting make it a fitting venue for living folk traditions.
Wassailing traditionally involves making noise and singing to orchard trees to ‘wake’ them from winter dormancy. Wightwick’s kitchen garden and orchards have been restocked with traditional and heritage fruit varieties — including eating, cooking and cider apples — and provide the setting for the half-term wassail activities.
The celebration aims to encourage healthy harvests while giving families an accessible way to enjoy local landscape, folklore and history during the school holidays. Visitors should check the National Trust events page for performance times and any booking information before travelling.
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