National Asparagus Day in the UK Date in the current year: April 23, 2024

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a plant in the genus Asparagus whose young shoots are used as a spring vegetable in many parts of the world. They are low in food energy but a good source of dietary fiber, B vitamins, vitamins C, E, K, and a number of dietary minerals. Asparagus is also a relatively rich source of the amino acid aspargine, which was named after the vegetable. Only young shoots are eaten; once the buds start to open, the shoots quickly become woody.

Asparagus is usually served as a side dish or appetizer. It can be boiled, steamed, roasted, grilled, or stir-fried. One of the most popular asparagus dishes is French-style asparagus; it consists of asparagus shoots that are steamed or boiled and served with hollandaise sauce, béchamel sauce, melted butter, or olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese.

The Vale of Evesham in Worcestershire, England has long been known for its delicious asparagus. The asparagus season here, which lasts from late April till late June, is filled with various asparagus-related events that have been dubbed the Vale of Evesham’s British Asparagus Festival.

It all started when the Bretforton Silver Band organized an asparagus auction at the historic Fleece Inn in Bretforton to raise money for instruments. The Bretforton Silver Band Asparagus Auction soon became a regular event and was joined by a second, more low-key asparagus auction hosted by St Leonard’s Church. The annual asparagus festival was launched to fill the time between the auctions, increase awareness of this amazing vegetable, and attract more tourists to the region.

The inaugural Vale Asparagus Festival was organized by The British Asparagus Growers Association in 2006. The event attracted a lot of visitors and significant media interest, so it was decided to make it an annual occurrence. During the 2007 event, the media suddenly started to promote the Vale Asparagus Festival as “The British Asparagus Festival”, and the name has stuck.

The Vale of Evesham’s British Asparagus Festival kicks off on April 23 (St. George’s Day), which has been dubbed National Asparagus Day, and lasts until June 21 (Midsummer Day). In the Vale of Evesham, the main event of National Asparagus Day is the honoring of the first-cut line of asparagus, which includes Morris dancing, a blessing, and a special ode to asparagus.

Of course, attending the British Asparagus Festival is the best way to observe National Asparagus Day, but we understand that it is not always possible. Luckily, there are many more things you can do to celebrate asparagus, like hand picking fresh asparagus at a local farm or cooking a delicious asparagus dish for your family.

National Asparagus Day in the UK should not be confused with its American counterpart. In the United States, National Asparagus Day is celebrated exactly a month later, on May 23, falling right in the middle of the asparagus season.