What To Expect
This celebration of defiance has rapidly evolved over the years and after the Second World War really turned in to the frenzied orange throwing it is today. The locals are divided up into nine combat teams, which all sounds a bit serious and in a way it is – if you come here wanting to take part you’ll have to fully immerse yourself in the moment and that means getting hit by a lot of oranges. Like all fun festivals it’s a fully inclusive event so you can really get stuck in, however, if you want to play the observer role and just kick back on the hot spicy wine served freely you can wear a red hat you’ll be considered a revolutionary and won’t have oranges thrown at you. Well, let’s not be too naive here: it’s a food fight, there’s wine, and you’re getting clobbered.
The festival lasts for 4 days with the main orange fight being on Shrove Tuesday,after which peace returns to the town and on the Tuesday everyone gathers again, much calmer, to wind up activities with a traditional fish dish. You just can’t imagine this happening in Mansfield can you? You know, massive uncontrolled food fight followed by a fish supper. Never seen that on ‘Cops With Cameras’.
