Dorset Knob Throwing

The original and only Dorset Knob Throwing
A caricature captures the fun everyone has at Dorset Knob Throwing day
Having fun and reaching for that big bubble

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.

Learn all about us at our website by clicking here 

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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.

 

The sheer fun of the Knob and Spoon Race
Putt the Knob and a future Rider Cup Player makes his parr
Amelia of CBBC trying her hand at the Knob and Spoon Race
Three youngsters with different ideas for Knob Painting
Neil and Roma hoping for a winner
A colleague with David Winshit, MD of Moores, the principle Sponsor of Dorset Knob Throwing
And fortunately Terry is on hand to explain to Grace and Amelia of CBBC, how to eat a Dorset Knob
Just some of the results of a fantastic day at the Knob Painting
Dorset Knob Throwing is fun for everyone
Meredith and Jenny watching a visitor Pin the Knob on the Giant
Knob Darts, with Kingston Maurward in the background
Dad gets some help to Guess the Weight of the Knob
Concentration in the Knob and Spoon Race
Knob Painting and every youngster has their own design ideas
A pop-up Fox and Hounds, with Liz and Ed behind the bar
Phil asking a winner about the finer points of the Knob and Spoon Race
Enjoying a game of Table Skittles outside the pop-up Fox and Hounds
Nearly managed to Splat the Knob that time!
Ben enjoys a selfie, care of Wessex FM
Just a split second quicker and it would have been Splat for the Knob
Putt the Knob and time for the Photographer to move
A tricky decision at the Spot the Knob game
Plenty of great support at the Dorset Knob Pyramid game
So many people having so much fun
Irish dancing attracted a lot of interest
Dorset Knob Throwing is just a great place to see families having fun
Some fine busking entertains the crowd and queues
During Cattistock's Fete Day 2019 a special presentation is made as Ian presents Caroline Hamblett, Chief Executive of the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust, with a cheque of £5,200 from the Dorset Knob Throwing event
More guess work when pinning the Knob on the Giant