Dorset Knob Throwing
2020 Knob Throwing Cancelled
Even the national media has gone to town over it with BBC Radio 1 making Dorset Knob Throwing its main Breakfast programme topic two days running. Most of what appears in the media has been largely true but this is the definitive statement of what has occurred.
Kingston Maurward College stated that the event did not provide sufficient revenue to justify continuing to host it. Unfortunately the DKT Committee was only advised of this position in September which was really rather too late to set up another venue with confidence. In addition the changed May Bank Holiday in 2020 meant that other County events had changed their dates. Rather than have more than one poorly attended event the DKT Committee decided to cancel 2020 and look ahead.
It will take place in 2021. It will be on the first Sunday in May. The venue has still to be determined but there are several options including a return to Cattistock provided certain infrastructure issues can be resolved.
One thing that the cancellation has done is create publicity that would never be achieved by normal marketing. The Committee is determined to capitalise on this and make 2021 the best Dorset Knob Throwing and Food Festival ever.
It’s crazy, it’s zany, it’s growing like Topsy and it was invented here in Cattistock.
It’s Dorset Knob Throwing!
The first Dorset Knob Throwing took place behind the Fox and Hounds in Cattistock. So next year we did it again with a bit of grub thrown in. Then it got too big for behind the pub so we moved to the Cattistock village play area. The date was fixed as the first Sunday in May. By this time the food element was expanding fast and you would be amazed at the number of Knob games fertile minds can dream up! It grew and it grew – a move to the football pitch followed. It took on the grand title of The Dorset Knob Throwing and Frome Valley Food Festival. And still it grew with over 5,000 visitors in 2016 almost swamping our village.
At this time the event boasted 75 food, craft and general interest stalls, 2 bars, 3 bands, loads of gazebos and marquees all centred around the Knob Arena which featured no less than 14 Dorset Knob Games of which the most popular remains the original Dorset Knob Throwing. And, before you ask, the Dorset Knob Throwing World Record stands at 29.4m!
It’s now the fastest growing Food Festival in Dorset. It has moved to Kingston Maurward College just outside Dorchester but it’s still a Cattistock event, organised and manned by the village.
The 2019 KnobFest was a huge success with record numbers attending and reports could hardly have been more favourable. There were glitches – not least traffic management on public roads – and a lot of lessons were learned but for the 8,000+ visitors who made it to Kingston Maurward it was a great experience.
Over 100 people from the village and surrounds manned stalls, gates, Knob Games and carried out an array of other tasks to ensure the event ran well. Our visitors enjoyed the day in company with local and national media and even Children’s BBC was present. Knob Throwing will be the theme of a CBBC 2020 programme. Hopefully we will know in advance when it is to be aired.
Those 8,000 visitors enjoyed over 90 food and craft stalls, two main bars (one selling “Dorset Knob” Beer the other being a “pop-up” Fox & Hounds, 3 bands and plenty of informal entertainment. Financially it went very well with over £10,000 returning to the Village.
Next year the May Bank Holiday will be a week later to recognise VE Day but we will stick with our First Sunday in May date. So Dorset Knob Throwing next year will be on Sunday 3 May 2020.
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The Knob Team: Ian Gregory, Wayne Briggs, Sean Lavan, Patrick Nelson, Rupert Cake, Tara Potter, Meredith James, David Andrews, Phil Hallett, John Swatridge, Terry White, Ian Vine. Contact any of them if you want to know more.
