Watercress festival set to take over Alresford today
The festival's set to run for its 22nd year
A watercress festival's taking over a town in Hampshire today (Sunday 17th May) - to celebrate its vast history.
Alresford's streets will be transformed for the festival's 22nd year, and an eating competition's set to take place.
Live entertainment crafts, food and cookery demos by well-known chefs, including 2026 MasterChef The Professionals finalist, Luke Emmess, will be included in the day.
Tom Amery's a farmer and supports the festival, he said: "Alresford is referred to as the watercress capital of the UK, and that's because there's The Watercress Line there.
"The Watercress Line was created for lots of other reasons, but it was kind of hijacked by watercress farmers to send all of the watercress to London.
"So at its heyday, there was millions of bunches leaving Alsford every day, heading off to London because the demand for watercress in London was huge.
"So that kind of created the basis of the watercress industry being in Alsford. These days, there are lots of little watercress beds all over the country."
Mr Amery will also be helping out with watercress farm tours at Manor Farm this year.
The Alresford Watercress Festival is free to attend and any money made is donated to charity, with Abby’s Heroes being the main beneficiary.