ORGANISERS of an iconic Dorset event are hoping this year will be its biggest and best yet.

The Dorset Knob Throwing festival will take place on Sunday, April 30 at Kingston Maurward College near Dorchester.

This year marks the event’s 10th anniversary and its first at the college, after being held in Cattistock since 2008.

Organisers say it’s become so popular it has outgrown the village, after first being held in the centre of Cattistock, then the football club pitch.

It raises thousands of pounds for clubs, facilities and organisations in and around the Frome Valley.
These include the Maiden Newton and Cattistock Football Club, Cattistock Cricket Club, the Community Playspace, the village hall and more.

As well as the main event, the Knob Throwing contest, visitors can expect all the family fun games like splat the knob, knob and spoon race, pin the knob on the giant, knob or no knob and more. 

The other main attraction at the festival is one of the biggest food and drink festivals in the county, where the festival supports some of the best food, drink and craft producers in the local area. 

Former chairman Nigel Collins said: “The success of the means that an even larger site is needed for 2017 and we believe that Kingston Maurward provides an ideal location. We share the same ethos of promoting locally produced food, drink and goods and the additional space and improved accessibility they can provide for visitors mean this is an exciting development for this truly unique Dorset event.”

Current festival chairman Katharine Wright added: “Of course we cannot put on such a fantastic local event without one very important company - Moore’s. Moore’s, who are based in Bridport, continue to make thousands of Knobs for our event and they do not and will not make them for any other event either locally or nationally. Moore’s have been making this famous baked knob since 1880 in Dorset, years ago dipped in cider or tea, today best eaten with its famous counterpart, Dorset Blue Vinny cheese.”

The festival will take place from 10am to 4pm on Sunday, April 30.

Visit www.dorsetknobthrowing.com for more information.