Smethwick choir to celebrate new year wassail at Halesowen Library
The Hackwood Community Choir from Smethwick will be at Halesowen Library on Saturday, February 7, to celebrate a new year wassail.
Wassail is an historic mid-winter tradition aimed at ‘waking up’ cider apple trees by scaring away evil spirits and ensuring a plentiful harvest. Meaning ‘be well’ in old English, wassail also describes the spiced mulled cider that revellers drink during the merrymaking ceremony.
The choir will sing drinking songs by Frederick Hackwood and perform his funny new year mummers’ play featuring old Nick and good St George. Taking place in the library’s Shenstone Theatre from 2pm, entry is free and booking is essential.
“We’re really looking forward to this celebration of age-old new year customs by Hackwood Community Choir,” said Sue Morgan-Salcombe, Halesowen Library manager. “It will be just under an hour in length and promises to be a great way of lifting spirits and raising good cheer.”
Operating under the Better brand, GLL is the not-for-profit social enterprise that runs Halesowen and Dudley’s other libraries on behalf of the council.
“Frederick Hackwood was a prolific non-fiction writer from the West Midlands and it’s wonderful that Hackwood Community Choir is keeping his legacy alive with their new year wassail,” said Stephanie Rhoden, GLL Partnership Manager in Dudley.
“Our libraries are community hubs, and this is a wonderfully rousing way of welcoming 2026 at Halesowen.”
Halesowen Library is situated in the Queensway Mall at Halesowen. To book, call 01384 812980 or email Halesowen.library@gll.org
