A WEEKEND of celebrations is in store to honour the humble onion – and mark a 200-year-old tradition.

This weekend the Onion Jack Tour will be setting off from Roscoff, France, on its way to West Bay, where a whole festival is planned to mark the traditional ways of harvesting the onions by hand, carrying them by horse to the port and making the voyage to England as it was done in days gone by.

Bridport town mayor Anne Rickard will join Joseph Seité, Mayor of Roscoff, to officially open the festivities in Brittany this Sunday (8), starting with the traditional procession to bring the onions and other local produce from the farm to the French port on bicycles and horse-drawn carts. At the port, the onions will be loaded into wooden sailing boats in which they will sail over to the UK, landing in West Bay ready for the start of the festivities on Friday, October 20.

The event is celebration of the Roscoff pink onion and the "Onion Johnnies" – the travelling door to door onion sellers, who for generations brought a taste of France to UK households.

A Breton market, live French music, circus acts, food tasting events and the chance to try delicious crepes will be taking place during the three day event. The Onion Jack festivities also provide a programme full of entertainment and performances from French artists that will follow the tour. The festival offers a great family event and a real chance to get a taste of traditional Breton Fare. On Sunday, October 22, a procession of cycling Johnnies and Breton horse pulling loaded carts is also set to parade in West Bay.

The Onion Johnnies first arrived almost 200 years ago after Breton traders first realised the benefits of exporting their produce across the Channel. The sight of a beret-wearing Frenchman wearing a striped jumper and weighed down by strings of onions as he cycled from house to house was a common sight in the UK, until the trade almost died out in the 1970s. 

The fun kicks off in West Bay at 5pm on Friday, October 20, with the festival opening and unloading of the boats, with live music and performing artists throughout the evening.

On Saturday, 21 and Sunday 22 there will be a Breton Market and live music once again.

And get your own onions to take home from Bridport Market on the Saturday. There will also be entertainment in Bucky Doo Square from 10am to 12pm and ‘teatime with the Johnnies’ at Washingpool Farm at 4pm where people can enjoy a drink and slice of cake while finding out about the history and tradition behind the trade.