THE ANNUAL celebration of Marcle Ridge orchard culture, The Big Apple, will get underway during the May Bank Holiday weekend, when the big attraction will be this year's stunning blossom.

Attractions will include "blossomtime crafts for children, guided orchard walks, apple teas and delicious lunches" on Sunday, May 1 and Monday May 2.

The focus of the Blossomtime with the Big Apple event will be very much on Putley Village Hall.

A spokesman said: "There will be a village hall full of cider, perry and apple juice waiting to be tasted.

"Outside there will be fruity activities, music from Fiddlers Two and dancing from Leominster Morris."

Putley Village Hall will be open for the 'Grand Cider Tasting and Teas' from 2pm to 6pm on the Sunday and from noon to 5pm on the Bank Holiday Monday.

The spokesman added: "One event not to miss will be Rich Mathews, from Rural Media, talking about ‘Golden Fire’ – an exciting digital arts project all about Herefordshire’s cider heritage from 1945 to the present day.

"An app is being developed to share this newly digitised archive of photography, oral histories and online content which will guide visitors and locals alike around the county’s cider festivals and growers, telling the rich contemporary and vivid story of the people, past and present, who make and ferment the ‘golden fire’."

This talk will take place at Putley Village Hall at 6.30pm on Sunday May 1 and entry will be free.

The Big Apple also runs annual autumn celebrations, to mark harvest time in the local orchards.

Further information on 01531 670544 and on www.bigapple.org.uk