Guest Blog: August Bank Holiday Weekend

It was a scorching beautiful August bank holiday this weekend and to top it all off Fargo Village and their guest gave us entertainment for all the family this weekend.

Spanning across 3 days, with their Big Summer BBQ, Beer Festival and Face of Summer festival, FarGo was the place to be with its fabulous array of food, indoor market, charity stalls, animal encounters and of course, the locals!

During the weekend at the Big Summer BBQ, there was a mega hot wings challenge – completely free if you could survive the heat, although I am not sure how many managed it! Locals Saus ‘n’ Roll got involved with their marinated leg of lamb and Spangles offered a free drink with every burger as well as some wonderful guest caterers as always.

Twisted Barrel Ale stayed open all throughout to serve chilled drinks as part of their beer festival while the Big Comfy Bookshop provided some respite for those who fancied a bit of peace and quiet while the kids played outside!

There were fun craft activities for children with the societies in the craft hall, the Rock ‘n’ Roller parlour made sure we were festival ready with their glitter roots and hair wraps along with Sarah Jane Creations who did face-painting for the kids (and adults alike!)

Iris May Falcons showed off their majestic birds (the owls were so cute!), you could hold a ferret from Ferret Rescue and feed them peanut butter and even have an encounter with an Alpaca or three. It was so great to see animals at FarGo, and I can’t wait for more things like this in the future!

There truly was something to entertain everyone this weekend and the village was a hive of activity. FarGo Village has outdone itself for providing us with such a fantastic place to fill both our minds and our faces this weekend!

This post is part of our new series of guest blog posts from the lovely Amy at Writing into the Ether. You can check out her personal blog here.

Guest Blog: Independent Gin Festival

Last weekend at FarGo we hosted our very own Independent Gin Festival!

Fargo’s Independent Gin Festival played host to a marvellous group of gin vendors and festival attendees across 2 evenings of chilled and sociable gin tasting. Personally, I’d never been to a gin festival before but it was definitely something I’d do again!

Although I was a guest, the tickets for entry were £7.50 which seemed very reasonable. As you arrived you were given a balloon glass and purchased tokens to spend at the gin vendors’ stalls. Each vendor described the gin and allowed you to taste it and paired it with a harmonising tonic.

There was a great selection of London Dry gins and others spanning from very local, such as Langley’s based in Birmingham, to Scapegrace which is distilled in New Zealand. Many brands were known for the rich heritage of the place they were distilled, or were based on the origins of G&T.

My favourite had to be the gin slushie by Shakespeare Distillery, which was a completely new concept to me! They used their signature Stratford gin which is infused with all manner of botanicals and it tasted incredible!

Overall, the atmosphere was relaxing and enjoyable, the guests were happy and the vendors were informative, friendly and above all seemed super passionate about their products. A great night for people of all ages (18+ of course), whether they were a newbie like me or a gin enthusiast!

This post is part of our new series of guest blog posts from the lovely Amy at Writing into the Ether. You can check out her personal blog here.

What to Expect at FarGo’s Independent Gin Festival!

This week at FarGo, we’re hosting our very own Gin Festival- but when has FarGo ever done things like everybody else? We’ve done away with the long talks and the classroom feel, and instead invited down some great independent distilleries to serve you drinks, have a chat and introduce you to the wonderful world of gin, in a relaxed and intimate setting. So whether you’re a gin expert or a complete novice with a taste for a G&T, be sure to come and check it out!

Introducing the stars of the show, we have 7 brilliant and unique distilleries for you to sample. From the mountains of New Zealand to the heart of the Hudson Valley, to our very own Shakespeare country, these gins come from across the world, but the thing they have in common is their great taste!

From across the globe, we have Brooklyn and Scape Grace. Brooklyn, based in New York, is created by founders Emile Jathe and Jo Santos, with an emphasis on local produce, hand production, and small, quality batches. They produce 300 bottles over the course of 3 days, all lovingly created from fresh local ingredients, which they think you can taste from the very first sip. Scape Grace are from New Zealand, and try and capture the country in their gin. From the 12 natural botanicals to the water gathered from the mountaintops, the Scape Grace team offer ‘gritty sophistication’, and a trip to New Zealand in a smooth gin and tonic.

A bit closer to home, we are welcoming Brokers gin from Birmingham, who have been perfecting their recipe for 200 years- the old ones are usually the best! They use a traditional pot belly still for their gin, to bring out all the flavour of their botanicals. Langley’s will also be joining us, with their multi-award winning luxury gin.

Bringing the royal touch to our humble festival is Sovereign Spirits, who produce it on their farm in the heart of Clipstone Park, which was a royal hunting lodge as far back as the 11th century! They harvest the most abundant fruits from their hedgerows and bottle them in their delicious gin liqueurs. They’re joined by British Polo Gin, with their 100% organic botanicals, gluten free sugar beet, quality small batches, and their firm belief that Britain, Polo, and Gin have been closely linked since the 1850’s!

Finally we’re bringing you Shakespeare’s Distillery, from just down the road in Stratford! Made in small, handcrafted batches, they are inspired by the fruits and flavours of the Tudor period, bringing the essence of the period to life in their bottles.

We didn’t stop there though! Alongside these amazing distilleries, we are also bringing you delicious street food from Paneer Wrap, and also our very own Saus’ n’ Roll are providing pasties, sausage rolls and more- exactly what you need to go with that gin!

Tickets are £7.50, and with every ticket you get a gin glass and our very own FarGo Gin Guide, with tasting guides, and garnish recommendations, perfect for you to recreate the great gin taste when you get home! Tickets are selling fast, so we’d recommend getting yours in advance!

With music all night from Scott Leon, former resident at Ibiza Rocks and Coventry Cathedral Dining Club, we promise you a great night of gin tasting, good food, and great atmosphere, as you chat with our distilleries and learn everything you ever wanted to know about gin, from the people that know it best!

We hope you’re excited for it, we know we are- can’t wait to see you there!

Ticket Links
Friday Evening Session – Link.

Saturday Evening Session – Link.