| Where: | Randwick, Gloucestershire - Was procession starts by the War Memorial, Blessing and Rolling at St John the Baptist Church |
| When: | Wap on Saturday of 2nd weekend in May, with Cheese Blessing and Rolling the previous Sunday |
| Time: | Wap 12.30 pm, Blessing 11 am |
Randwick Wap is a revived ancient festival with a fair, costumed procession and ceremonial cheeserolling. A Wap Mayor and Queen are carried through the village accompanied by various officials including a Mop-Man who clears the way and wets the crowd with water, before the Mayor is dipped in the pond. Real cheeses are rolled by the Queen and Mayor down the bank then divided and eaten. Don’t get this confused with the Cooper’s Hill Cheeserolling competition on Spring Bank Holiday (see separate article). The procession then makes its way to the fair field by the Village Hall where there are presentations and entertainments as well as stalls selling a variety of items – the unique Wiput Cake is on sale at the Wap tent (if you like bread and butter pudding, you’ll like this cake!).
Helpful Hints
In 2027 it should be on Saturday May 8th. On the preceding Sunday (May 2nd in 2027) the 3 Double Gloucester cheeses are blessed in a special service at St John the Baptist’s Church in the village before being rolled around the church exterior widdershins by the children. One cheese is consumed and the others kept for Wap day (above).
Click here for the event website : https://randwickwap.org.uk
and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RandwickWap
Many thanks for the confirmation!