Ely is set for the most successful eel weekend on record – and it got off to a stunning start today (Friday).
Local businesses trialled the eel throwing championships being held later tomorrow (Saturday) by staging, as is the tradition, their own show on the market.
Deputy mayor Mike Rouse was there to record the occasion and offered his congratulations to the Ely Museum team for their success.
“They talk the torque and walk the walk (throw the eel, doesn’t rhyme),” he observed.
The Visit Ely team were on hand to oversee and judge the competition ahead of today’s championships by the river.
The city is set to come alive with a range of events for the annual occasion, which will also mark five years of the Food and Drink Festival.
There will be an expanded Eel Food Safari, the British Town Crier Championships on Eel Day and celebrity chefs Brian Turner and Rosemary Shrager ready to cook up a storm.
As in previous years, some of the finest restaurants, cafes and other businesses in Ely have put on their thinking caps and created an impressive line up of dishes and beverages including or inspired by eels.
On Saturday, the annual Eel Day Parade will begin at 10.30am from Cross Green, next to Ely Cathedral.
Ely’s Ellie the Eel will be heading the carnival inspired procession along part of the City’s Eel Trail Heritage Walk – where everyone is welcome to join in.
Special highlights include the British Town Crier Championship and the World Eel Throwing Competition with stuffed toys – where the aim is to beat the World Record of over 17 meters.
In addition, there will be the first ever Morris Festival where visitors can see a variety of Morris groups performing all around the city.
A full programme of arena events in Jubilee Gardens including folk music, Eel pottery workshops, Music and Dancing, historical displays and re-enactments will be on offer.
The chance to sample smoked and jellied eels as well as more conventional forms of food will also be on offer.
On Sunday and Monday there will be more than 75 artisan food and drink traders for the Food and Drink Festival.
It will run from 10.30am to 4.30pm.
Stars of TV cookery schools Brian Turner and Rosemary Shrager will be demonstrating a variety of dishes in the Cookery Theatre, before rounding off the weekend with a Q&A hour plus book signings at Oliver Cromwell’s House.
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