Croydon Harvest and The Walnut Fair

Celebrate the gifts of Harvest in a weekend of food, folk and faith!

Croydon Harvest featuring The Walnut Fair will take over the town centre on Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 October with free performances, puppetry, live music, dance, storytelling, farm animals and more.

The full programme is now available so start planning your weekend today!

Performance and Storytelling

Throughout the weekend, you can say hello to the goats, rabbits, sheep and chickens from Vauxhall City Farm and meet our fantastic Harvest Queen for storytelling and crafts in the Queen’s Gardens.

Grab a selfie with Plucky the oversized and over curious chicken, and, Farrah the 5-metre high fox who will be zooming into town on her scooter!

Don’t miss the Vegetable Nannies, who will be out and about with their adorable baby fruits and vegetables. These eccentric gardeners invite you along to their Pop-Up Allotment for a spot of gardening and join them on a quest to complete a giant game of hide and seek with The Magic Shed.

Step inside the Museum of Memorable Trees and listen to evocative tales of great trees rooted in peoples lives and memories.

Handmade Theatre present their brand new show featuring a host of farmyard characters and original songs.  

Plus, poet Beth, also known as The Poetry Machine, will be on hand with her typewriter to weave your words into a poem you can takeaway!

Folk Dance

Experience vibrant folk dance from across the globe, rooted in ancient traditions celebrating prosperity, life and the riches of harvest!

Our programme of performances and workshops include Bhangra dance, Spanish Flamenco dance, Sri Lankan Kandyan dance, Bulgarian dance Horo, Kolattam from South India and Garba from Gujarat, African dance styles and British Clog and Morris dancing.

Crafts

Express your creativity and try something new with a range of craft activities celebrating cultures around the world.

Transform a kitchen wooden spoon into a work of art using 3D collage inspired by food and animals, and puppet masters Handmade Theatre teach you how to make your own fox and chicken hand-puppets.

Sample crafts originating from India including woodblock printing on fabric, creating your own Kite which are flown as a symbol of gratitude for the arrival of harvest, and make beautiful Rangoli art, often a tradition of Hindu festivals.

Plus, get your face painted as your favourite woodland creature!

Ukrainian Head Wreaths

Design your own traditional Ukranian head wreath, made from materials such as wheat, ribbons and flowers. Booking is required for this activity and there is a small fee to cover the cost of the materials. Book here.

Pollock’s Toy Museum

Visit Pollock’s Toy Museum in the Whitgift Centre to see the historic local Walnut Fair recreated with toys, stories, live performances and workshops.

Wonder at a magical menagerie, travelling shows, a waxwork museum, miniature worlds in walnuts and period peep shows!

Croydon Harvest Market

Come and browse our Croydon Harvest Market for all your nature-inspired goods and find out about a range of green themed local community groups and organisations. 

The History of The Walnut Fair

The Walnut Fair is an annual tradition which took place in Croydon Town Centre, starting in 1314.

By 1644, travellers flocked from the East End and beyond to buy walnuts by the hundreds. Customs of the October fair also included a variety of entertainment such as travelling theatre and circus, and popular goods sold included oysters and gingerbread.

The fair attracted large crowds to the Fair Fields, until it was finally closed down in 1868 for being too bawdy!

Read more about the fascinating history of The Walnut Fair in this article by Will Noble for Londonist: Croydon Edit.

Applications open for traders

We would like to welcome traders who reflect the theme of our event to showcase an array of natural or handmade products from craft items, gifts, food and drink, wildlife and nature inspired designs, flowers and more. We would also welcome food trucks and traders, and information stalls from relevant organisations, community groups or charities. More information and apply here.