Come to the Lauriston Farm Community Orchard in north Edinburgh for folk songs and merry noise-making with bells and drums, to celebrate our beloved orchard trees and wish them a good year ahead. This is a fun and heart-warming event organised by the brilliant Community Orchard volunteers. Suitable for all ages, free and no booking required.
Music + Tree Activities + Mulled Apple Juice + Noisy Fun
Bring a rattle or drum if you have them, or make your own shaker on the day. Dressing up encouraged and welcome, but not compulsory!
Singer Penny Stone will lead everyone in singing songs for the trees, and we'll add good wishes and mulch for the season ahead.
The event will close with mulled apple juice (zero alcohol) in the farmyard, but you might want to bring hot drinks and food to keep you warm throughout.
Orchard Wassailing is an ancient tradition in orchard care. The story goes that it frightens away any evil spirits lurking in the orchard. Of course, it also brings the community together and makes people feel protective towards the trees - which definitely helps protect them. By upholding, reviving and reinventing these traditions, we renew our connection with the land and with each other, and make the living world more vivid in our minds and hearts.
If you’ve never Wassailed before, come along and give it a try. And if you’re an old hand, join us with your stories. Come all ye!
If you haven’t been to the farm before…
The main farmyard entrance is behind Toby Carvery car park, EH4 5EX.
This will be an outdoor event - please dress for windy north Edinburgh.
The event will be on rough, sloping grassy ground, which can be wet and muddy. There will be some slow-paced travel around the orchard (and possibly some birling – optional). The ground is potentially navigable by all-terrain/off-road wheelchairs or mobility scooters, but probably not standard wheelchairs. If you use a stick or walker, and you feel okay on uneven ground, the whole area should be accessible. There are no stairs to the farmyard, orchard or toilet.
You will be able to use the toilet in the Community Allotment & Garden area during the event (a spacious, level access, single cubicle, gender-neutral, composting toilet).
You can contact the farm team with any accessibility questions or requests