HUNDREDS of people descended on New Alresford to enjoy the annual Watercress Festival.

Now in its 19th year, the festival was held on Sunday, May 21 to celebrate the town’s connection to watercress.

The entirety of the town centre, including Broadstreet, West Street and Station Road, featured dozens of stalls selling food, produce and crafted items to attendees.

Hampshire Chronicle: The event started with the coronation of the 2023 Watercress King and Queen, Jack Sims and Beau Reilly-Taylor from Sun Hill Infants and Junior School, outside the historical Old Fire Station on Broad Street, before they moved up the hill in the back of a horsedrawn carriage throwing watercress to onlookers.

There was also a cavalcade of Morris dancers and musical performers advancing ahead of the king and queen.

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Other attractions included cookery demonstrations held by renowned restauranteur Mark Hix, MasterChef The Professionals 2022 finalist Charlie Jeffreys, and TV chef Lesley Waters.

There was also a range of competitions and raffles throughout the day with some of the money raised going to the festival’s official charity Abby’s Heroes. Live music was played throughout the day at the central stage on Broad Street.

The event was capped off with the traditional Watercress Eating Championship, where entries compete to eat a bag of locally-grown watercress in the shortest amount of time, with the winner being awarded a trophy and a chance to be featured in the Guinness Book of World Records. This year, due to the high number of competitors, the competition was split into multiple rounds.

Despite fierce competition from competitors - who had travelled from as far away as Portsmouth and London to take part - the victor of the event was Alresford resident Glenn Walsh.

Glenn, who has won the competition every year for the past 15 years, managed to devour his 85g of watercress in 31.29 seconds, just shy of his previous record of 25.5 seconds.

Hampshire Chronicle: Winner Glenn Walsh with his trophyWinner Glenn Walsh with his trophy (Image: Newsquest)SEE ALSO: Hampshire woman sees success with science-fiction short film

Alresford Town Councillor Sarah Cavell said that she believed the festival had gone well. 

She said: “It’s gone really well, we’ve been really lucky with the weather that’s for sure.

“We’ve had people from Portsmouth come here; they didn’t even know it was on today, but now they know it’s on and they’re going to tell all their friends and come back every year for it.”

Hampshire Chronicle: Event organiser Claire May told the Chronicle: “It’s gone really well. The weather has been in our favour, last year it was pouring with rain.

"The weather has been in our favour and it’s been the first time that the festival’s been properly back since Covid-19, so it’s all gone quite well.”