The last Powerstock Cider Festival
Takes place on Sat 22nd April from 6.30 to 10.30 pm.
Powerstock has hosted an annual cider festival since 2001. It began when Nick Poole took over as Chairman of the Hut committee and coincidently had begun making cider the year before. With the Hut being seriously short of money following a major re-build Nick thought it might be a good idea for a fund raiser to host a small cider tasting evening, combined with a food market.
This was the start of a long and very successful venture that very soon took on a life of it’s own. In 2001 there were very few signs of cider in Dorset and dedicated cider festivals were thin on the ground everywhere. However it seemed to catch the imagination and word soon spread. In a short time it was attracting cider makers from all over the country and was well supported by a new generation of drinkers who wanted to discover what real cider was all about.
Within 3 years the food market had to give way to more and more cider makers, giving the public a chance to discover the broad depth and flavours provided by this long standing and ever intriguing traditional drink.
In 2007 the Festival won the Innovation Award at the Bath and West Show in recognition of it’s achievement in re-introducing cider to Dorset. Since that time a new wave of cider making has put Dorset firmly back on the West Country cider map with over 2 dozen commercial producers now selling their products throughout the County.
Throughout this period the Powerstock Festival has remained unique in being entirely in aid of charity and to have the individual cider makers serve their ciders to the public during the event. All the cider has been given by the cider makers over the years and has enabled the committee to hand over more than £40,000.00 to charities local and national including an annual donation to the Somerset & Dorset Air Ambulance.
With many more cider festivals being run these days Nick feels it is time to let the residents of Powerstock have a break from the mayhem, and give the generosity of the cider makers a rest.
A big thank you goes out to all those who have contributed or supported it in anyway over the past 16 years – especially the local team of volunteers who have helped Powerstock host this and made it the success it has become.
Powerstock Cider Festival 2017
The final get together is Sat 22nd April from 6.30 to 10.30 pm.
Tickets
Tickets will go on sale at the end of February in the Bridport Tourist Information Centre and Frosts (Bridport and also at the Marquis of Lorne, Nettlecombe and the Three Horseshoes, Powerstock.
