Teapot Festival in Trenton

The gradual appearance of an unusual number of wooden teapot-replicas in front lawns in Trenton meant only one thing for this week - the annual Teapot Festival.

Kicking off on Sunday, the Festival runs through next Saturday, with floats, parades, fireworks and many other events and gatherings through the week.

On Sunday the Grand Marshall of events was announced, and there was a traditional lighting of the teapots.

The inspiration for the Festival comes from the Trenton City Hall collection, with consists of Porcelain Veilleuses, or night light teapots. These teapots are on a stand with a mode of brewing and serving floral or herb tea to babies at night. A short candle fuelled with nut or vegetable oils provided the heat and light. They were often made ornate and decorative for the benefit of aristocrats and the wealthy, some of them with insignia, beginning to appear in about 1830 in France.

John Melton, administrator of the Gibson County General Hospital developed the idea of a ‘teapot festival’ to draw attention to the rare collection of Porcelain Veilleuses. His idea was favourably received by the council, he served as the first Festival Chairman and the festival has been going strong ever since.