Ways to take part include:
performance (music, spoken word, walkabout)
making decorations
hosting a craft stall
running a skills sharing workshop
sharing your homegrown produce
being a candidate for Montpelier Mayor or Queen Bean in the mock elections
helping to run silly games and craft activities
help to organise a ‘heritage lunch’ for older residents of Montpelier

On the day, we need volunteers to help with stewarding, putting up decorations, assisting with cake/bean/tea stalls and clearing up afterwards.

If you’re able to join this happy team, please get in touch!  You can see the ‘get involved’ flyer here
Sally Jenkins
Event Coordinator
montpelierbeanfeast@yahoo.co.uk
07866 748193

About the event
This community street festival is a resurrection of an annual event from the eighteenth century, which historical accounts say originally featured mock elections of a Mayor and Sheriff, ‘delighted spectators’ and ‘various high jinks’. It is now a celebration of local heritage, local harvest and local genius and features music, mock elections, crafts workshops and procession, local produce exchange, ‘homemade’ stalls and lots of neighbours getting to know each other.
The event takes place in St Andrews Road and Montpelier Park. It is free to attend, although donations towards costs are much appreciated.  All organisers are unpaid volunteers from the local area.

Can you help out with this year's Bean Feast? We need lots of people to make it a success!

As well as our most valuable resource – people power (!) – we are also in need of materials to transform these spaces. If you have anything to offer, or know of a great place to get things (either for free or at good value) then please let us know by posting a comment below or emailing shiona_macp@hotmail.com.  The most obvious items we will need are:

• Compost
• Well rotted manure
• Top Soil
• Wood and other materials to make raised beds
• Screws/nails etc
• Water butts (or equivalent)
• Seeds
• Plants
• Trees for replanting
• Organic plant food (eg comfrey tea, seaweed extracts)

Any ideas on sources of funding for these items would also be extremely welcome!

Many thanks, the Growing Team

Please check out the following by clicking on the title:

Food Discussion Intro Presentation Slides

Open Meeting 10feb Food Discussion

As there (predictably) turned out to be quite an overlap with the concerns and suggestions from the Green Spaces group, we think it would be a good idea to join forces for a while, at least until more specific projects emerge.  So both groups aim to meet together in the week commencing 22nd Feb – I will update this post with the exact time and place when confirmed!  Meanwhile, please do get in touch with a comment below, or a call to 07866 748193, if you’d like to be involved and we don’t already have your contact details.

Thanks and looking forward to more developments!  Sally

The Bean Feast was a much loved annual event in Montpelier in the 1700s.  This year we are bringing it back to life as a community celebration of local heritage, local harvest and local genius.

Expect a feast for the ears, eyes, noses, tastebuds and imaginations!  With plenty for everyone to experience and enjoy, you’d be a fool to miss it.

Here’s a few of the Bean Feast happenings:

Two live music stages…Feast zone…Election of Montpelier Mayor and Queen Bean…Spoken word area…Local chef bean cook-off…Village green games, races and sports…Market stalls…Crafts for children…Garage door art transformations…Local produce exchange market…Procession…Park developments consultation…Giant freecycle…Skate features…Skills sharing workshops…Great food and drink…and more!

If you are a Montpelier resident, we actively seek your involvement. Whether you can volunteer a couple of hours on the day or are able to help with  preparations, we want to hear from you!

For more information please email montpelierbeanfeast@yahoo.co.uk or call 07866 748193

Can you help build the Bean Feast Garden?

Do you have a container (bath, boot, pot or other) which has plants (ideally herbs or vegetables) growing in it? Much loved and hyperlocal charity GROFUN are looking to borrow enough plants to create a temporary garden for the Bean Feast. The garden will hopefully demonstrate the diverse and creative ways people without suitable garden space can grow in random found containers and your help will make a wonderful oasis to inspire and educate everyone.

GROFUN could collect from you that morning or better still you could deliver to St Andrews Road if you have your own car. Containers will be stored somewhere nearby for collection afterwards.

Please message or phone the GROFUN posse with your details, collection/delivery info and what you can lend/donate……. info@grofun.org.uk / Tel 07973847894

(GROFUN is a local organisation seeking to empower and inspire communities to meet some of their food needs. Look at our websites for details of how our projects meet these needs and achieve these aims.)

What can I do?

Can you put a poster in your window please?

Download the poster from here, print it, pop it in your window

More information about the Bean Feast:

• Indymedia article
• Bean Feast looking for artists for garage doors
• Definition of a bean feast on wikipedia