Bromyard Hop Festival

Both winning teams in the Hop Pocket Race  –  the Ladies’ team from Wye Valley Brewery and a Men’s team from Legges of Bromyard  –  became World Champions by carrying a full hop pocket through the town’s streets as part of Bromyard’s first-ever Hop Festival last September.

The Race is unique in the world, and Festival organisers report healthy interest from teams wanting to take part in this year’s event.  Herefordshire’s leisure and gym providers Halo have come up with a special exercise and fitness regime to help runners and others work off the post-Christmas flab and get to peak condition.   Halo staff are so enthusiastic about the project they’ve also put up a team for the Hop Pocket Race.

Festival Chairman Ian Raven announced changes to the course for this year’s Race.  ‘Runners will start in the Market Square, go up Broad St, and High St to the Leisure Centre, then turn and come back to the starting point’, he said.  ‘We’re also adding an obstacle half-way along the course, so the whole thing will be even tougher for the runners as they carry a full hop pocket weighing 50 kg.  –  but the Race will be even more exciting for spectators, and will spread visitors right through the town’.

Other elements of the Hop Festival will be retained and expanded, including a parade of vintage and horse-drawn vehicles, an old-tyme funfair on the Town Green, a performance of a community play about hop-picking, archive film and historic displays, live music and a craft fair.