Join Virtue Cider in the 5th Annual Wassail, the traditional march into the apple orchard, on Saturday, February 15th at their farm located at 2170 62nd Street in Fennville. Get ready to parade across the farm, among bonfires surrounded by snow to bless the trees for a bountiful 2020 harvest.
Expect horse-drawn sleigh rides, live ice sculpting from the Ice Guru, snowshoe tours, cider, and traditional English fare followed by a live music processional and a proper farm rock show with Jon Langford (of Mekons, Waco Brothers) & 3 Blokes from Chicago. The event is free to attend and all ages are welcome.
WHAT IS WASSAIL? Wassailing is a very old English custom of blessing the trees in the orchard with song and cider during the depths of winter to ward off any evil spirits and ensure a good harvest in the coming year. Wassail is also the name of the warm, mulled cider drink the revelers used to celebrate the occasion. Virtue pays homage to this cider tradition with their annual wintertime cider farm party replete with live music, bonfires, food, Percheron-drawn sleigh rides, and a candle-lit parade at dusk through the apple orchards.
SCHEDULE:
Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020
● Winter Magic for all ages 12-5pm (snowshoeing, sleigh rides, food, mask-making)
● Wassail Toast and bonfire lighting at 6:30pm
● Live Music with Jon Langford & 3 Blokes from Chicago at 7pm
● Cider, Food & Sleigh Rides sold separately
SLEIGH RIDES SOLD SEPARATELY: due to limited space please book in advance at vrtu.us/percheron-rides
CHICAGO SHUTTLE BUS: A limited number of seats at $10 each are available for a shuttle bus leaving from and returning to Chicago. 21+ only. Please purchase as an add-on experience. RSVP at vrtu.us/Wassail-RSVP. Further communication for the Chicago shuttle bus will be sent to riders as the date gets closer.
Chicago Bus Schedule:
Noon CT – leaving Goose Island Taproom, 1800 W. Fulton St.
3:45pm ET – arrive at Virtue Cider
9pm ET – depart Virtue Cider
11pm CT – return to Goose Island Taproom
Need a place to stay?
There are numerous wonderful B&Bs in the area that we encourage you to check out! We also have partnered with AmericInn in neighboring Douglas, MI, to offer a limited amount of hotel rooms at $100 for the night of Saturday, Feb. 15. Please call the hotel directly at 269-857-8581 and mention Virtue Cider to book at this rate. Rooms must be booked by Feb. 1, 2020, to secure this rate.
More questions? Feel free to reach out to info@virtuecider.com or on social media!
Wassail!
VIRTUE CIDER:
Virtue Cider in Fennville, Michigan, makes craft cider using traditional techniques: making cider on a farm utilizing Michigan apples and aging the cider in barrels. Their ciders range from dry to sweet and show the complexity and nuance of the Southwest Michigan’s apples. Its founder, Gregory Hall, was former brewmaster at Goose Island Brewing Company, and he brings his barrel-aging expertise to cider. Virtue Cider is open all year long where you can sample cider in the Taproom, take some home from the Bottle Shop, tour the cider houses, or walk around the working farm.
