Plum Festival pulls in the crowds

Buy photos » The Pershore Plum mascot Prunella Plum meets an old friend. 3512009MMR2

IT WAS a weekend full of celebrations in Pershore as the town came together to enjoy the Plum Festival's fun-filled finale.

Despite the gloomy conditions thousands of people flocked to the town centre between Saturday, August 25 and Bank Holiday Monday (August 27) as the town turned into a sea of purple.

A large number of stalls, shops and businesses were open throughout as everyone celebrated the town’s association with the famous fruit. It is believed about 19,000 people turned up to join in with the celebrations.

Attractions on the annual and famous Plum Day included classic and vintage cars on display, an award-winning farmers’ market, boat trips, arts and crafts, trade and charity stalls and the teddy bear parachute jump in Abbey Park.

The town's retail market, high street shops, pubs, cafés, and restaurants were also open on the day and joined in with the plum-filled celebrations.

There was huge also celebrations as staff at The Angel Hotel held a Big Plum weekend which saw plenty of live music and events take place at Riverside Gardens to coincide with the festival's closing ceremony.

Musicians from all over the country took part and performed including Nigel Clarke, lead singer of 1990s Britpop group Dodgy, jazz band The Dutch Lewis Broadband and traditional folk music by Ouja.

A grand fireworks display then followed and finished off proceedings with a huge bang. Festival organiser Angela Tidmarsh said it had been a huge success.

"We were really pleased with how the day went," she said. "The festival has been a massive success and I believe we have had more or less the same figure of visitors as last year which is really pleasing.

"I would urge anyone who came along and enjoyed themselves at either the Pershore Plum Festival or Asparagus to vote for us in the Worcestershire Welcome Awards."

To vote for either or both the Pershore Plum Festival or the Asparagus Festival visit www.visitworcestershire.org/worcestershire-welcome-awards.aspx

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