A MUCH-loved harvest festival which attracted thousands to central London is being revived in Coventry – and families are invited to help bring its 10ft centrepiece to life.
The October Plenty, which delighted crowds along Bankside and Borough Market for more than 25 years, is being reimagined for the streets of Coventry with a free, family-friendly celebration of harvest traditions, storytelling, food and theatre.
Festivities begin at St Mary’s Guildhall, where members of the public are invited to help create the festival’s iconic Corn Queene – a three-metre-tall figure made from wheat, fruit and vegetables which will lead the city’s harvest procession.
Up until Saturday (October 25), visitors can drop in to the 700-year-old venue to help weave corn into skirts, string vegetables into garlands, and contribute handmade decorations and seasonal produce, while learning about the harvest traditions behind the celebration.
The festival culminates on Sunday (October 26), when the completed Corn Queene will lead a colourful, musical procession from the Cathedral Ruins through the city centre to FarGo Village, alongside the autumnal Berry Man – a figure dressed in wild foliage and fruit – as well as dancers, musicians, and performers.
At FarGo Village, celebrations will continue with an afternoon of live folk music, traditional dancing, food from local traders and interactive street theatre.
Connor Alexander, the artistic director of Coventry theatre company Bladder & String, who has helped produce the October Plenty since 2016, said he was excited to be bringing the celebration to the city.
He said: “It’s a real privilege to help bring the October Plenty to Coventry and share it with new audiences after some hugely successful years in the capital attracting thousands of people each year.
“Coventry has a rich cultural heritage and a strong tradition of community celebration, so its historic centre feels like the perfect place for this festival to grow and thrive, and we hope to see plenty of people joining us throughout the week.”
