HEREORDSHIRE will be alive with rock 'n' country music, torch-lit processions, copious amounts of cider and photos of life in Herefordshire in the 1920's as this weekends events go ahead.

Here's a list of what's on in the county this weekend:

Saturday, January 15: Wassails

A SERIES of wassail events will take place across Herefordshire on Saturday (January 15). 

Wassailing is the ancient tradition of blessing trees in the hope of promoting a good harvest for the next cider and perry season.

The Anglo-Saxon custom is still a lively and treasured tradition across cider and perry-making counties today.

Celebrations vary, but typically involve a lively, torch-lit procession to the orchard where revellers gather round the biggest tree to sing and create lots of noise to ward off bad spirits.

Jenny Pipes Morris will meet at Corn Square, Leominster, at 11am before heading to the Millennium Green orchard to join in the wassail. Grange

Court will also be open and offering soup and refreshments afterwards.
Another wassail will meet at the Crown Inn, Woolhope, at 5pm ahead of the 6pm procession to the pub’s orchard.

Saturday, January 15, 7.30pm
Rock ‘n’ Country Show at The Courtyard

A FEAST of entertainment will be held at The Courtyard, Hereford, as Forever In Blue Jeans celebrates 25 successful years with a rock ‘n’ country show.

The show will star Carole Gordon with terrific singers, dancers and musicians playing the best in country music and rock ‘n’ roll. 

This big-hearted show performs songs from Patsy Cline, Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Pardon, Glen Campbell, Tammy Wynette, the Carpenters and Carole King as well as hits from the great western musicals such as Oklahoma and Paint Your Wagon plus many more.

Tickets can be found on The Courtyard website.

January 8 to February 25
Thru the Lens photography exhibition

HAVE you ever wondered what life was like in Herefordshire the 1920s? Well, here’s your chance.

An exhibition called The Golden Valley Faces is a vivid portrait of life in a remote Herefordshire valley at the start of the 20th century, and it comprises pictures taken by the late photographer Richard Jenkins.

It is being staged by photography gallery Thru the Lens in Hay-on-Wye from January 8 to February 25.

This is the first opportunity for Mr Jenkins to be recognised as an exceptional photographer.

On previous occasions he has been celebrated as a local hero, and visitors enjoyed spotting friends and relatives in the pictures.

But now in Hay, a little further afield from his birthplace in the Golden Valley, his images will reach a new and wider audience.

Monday, January 17

£3 cinema tickets

The Courtyard is offering £3 film tickets to House of Gucci (15) on Monday, January 17, to help the January blues.

The third Monday in January is often referred to as ‘the most difficult day of the year’ or ‘Blue Monday’, but the mental health charity the Samaritans want to dispel this myth with their Brew Monday initiative.

It was developed by the Samaritans to turn ‘Blue Monday’ into something positive and inspire people to connect over a drink.  

To encourage audiences to engage with the arts and get talking, The Courtyard are offering £3 tickets to its 2.30pm screening of House of Gucci (15) on Monday January 17.

Audiences will need to use the code BREWMONDAY when booking tickets.  

House of Gucci (15) is inspired by the family empire behind the Italian fashion house of Gucci.

To book tickets, or for more information on Live Screenings at The Courtyard contact the Box Office on 01432 340555 or visit www.courtyard.org.uk.