Community section.qxp_Layout 1 24/03/2022 17:48 Page 84
MENDIP TIMES
Snowdrop festival was a storming success
EVEN the best efforts of Storm Eunice couldn’t deter the 2022 Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival from taking place. Two workshops and a planned procession through town to the unveiling of a newly-carved stone obelisk on the grave of James Allen – the town’s Snowdrop King – had to be cancelled, but everything else went ahead as planned, including the ceremony at his graveside attended by festival patron, award-winning gardener Dan Pearson. Amongst the guests was Ted Allen, deputy lieutenant of Somerset and a distant relative of James Allen. New for the 2022 festival were a James Allen Heritage Walk, an art, antiques and vintage trail around the town centre, including specially commissioned giant snowdrops, and partnerships with Yeo Valley Organic Garden and Downside Abbey Gardens.
There was a large turnout for the unveiling of the new obelisk in Shepton Mallet cemetery
Amanda Hirst, director of Shepton Snowdrops, said: “The programme for this year’s festival was fuller and more extensive than ever before. Many people braced the weather with equanimity, determined to enjoy all that was on offer in spite of Storm Eunice. “We’d like to thank our partner gardens, growers, craft makers, artists, workshop leaders, storyteller, cocktail inventor and
the town centre shops and cafes for working with us on this new expanded festival.” Amanda added: “The 2022 festival was particularly special for us. Our long-held ambition to return a new beautifully carved ten-foot obelisk to the grave of James Allen came to fruition just a week before the festival and it was unveiled by our patron, Dan Pearson.”
Festival patron Dan Pearson (right) with Dominic Weston, from the Shepton Mallet Horticultural Society and festival director Amanda Hirst
The hall in St Paul’s School hosted snowdrop and craft stalls as well as workshops
Cobi Snelson ran one of the flower-themed workshops during the festival
Ivy, aged two, who dressed as a sheep for the festival’s children’s fancy dress competition, with mum Corinne
PAGE 84 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2022
