It's that time of year again where up and down the country food festivals start to take place showcasing chefs skills, the latest produce and a chance to celebrate all things food and drink.
Where: The Meadow Room, The Street, Cobham, Kent
When: Saturday 2nd May 2015
With 60 local producers, suppliers and artisans promoting everything Kent. Live demonstrations ranging from chilli farming on the Downs to Asian inspired cookery. It is a real family focused, festival of fun against a bag drop of live music through to the early evening.
Based in the village of Cobham, Munchies on The Meadow started two years ago as a small celebration of everything Kent. Munchies, now in its third year, has doubled in size every year, but still maintains its local charm.
With over 2,500 in 2014, Munchies is a pivotal date on every foodies calendar. It is a great family festival of flavours, not to mention competition. Your children can participate in the Great Munchies Bake-off to win the title of the best baker.
Where: Cattle Market, Scalford Road
When: 2nd - 3rd 2015
With around 50 cheese makers and 250 different cheeses, the Artisan Cheese Fair is every cheese lovers place to be! What's even better – there are some of the UK's rarest cheeses but besides cheese, there will be pies, wine, cakes, beer, chutneys and much more.
In its fifth year the Artisan Cheese Fair is now the largest dedicated festival of cheese in the UK. Held undercover within the halls of Melton Mowbray’s heritage Cattle Market, the fair showcases cheese makers from all over the British Isles.
Visitors to the Fair will have the opportunity to taste some of the UK’s rarest cheeses. They can also learn about cheese in the daily programme of talks, demonstrations and tastings given by industry experts including the Stilton Cheesemakers Association, as well as enjoying other local produce including ales, wines, chutneys and Melton Mowbray’s famous Pork Pie.
Where: Chesterfield, Derbyshire
When: 2nd - 4th May 2015
The weekend will include: over 80 top local producers, a big serving of stunning hot food, real ale and wine bars, a dash of craft and gift stalls, lots of activities and rides for the kids, top chef demos, from the likes of GBBO finalist Luis Troyano, stir in a cake competition and the popular Men Vs Food, with lashings of excellent live music mixed together to make a lovely foodie family day out.
The Great British Food Festival has attracted lots of producers showcasing the best in local, seasonal and speciality food and drink. It’s a great opportunity to get a real taste of the best of Derbysire and Great British produce - sample, enjoy and buy.
With Great Britain’s amazing mix of cultures and cuisines it would be a shame to overlook some more exotic elements - so you can try Thai dishes, Ostrich burgers, or burritos as well as pulled pork, prime steak, and the best local burgers and sausages, for those with more traditional tastes! After you’ve done your foodie shopping, sit out enjoying tasty hot food, a refreshing drink (or two), with great live music in the stunning surroundings of Hardwick Hall.
Where: Tideswell Village Centre
When: 2nd May 2015
On 2nd May, the usually serene streets of the Peak District village of Tideswell will be a hive of activity, abuzz with shoppers happily perusing over 60 independent stalls offering locally made artisan food and drink.
This year’s Tideswell Food Festival will have a traditional village theme – think bunting, cake and morris dancing – and will celebrate Tideswell’s culinary talent, with plenty of local produce on offer and the Tideswell School of Food open for food demonstrations and wine tastings.
The event won’t just be exhibiting Tideswell’s flair with food, though – musical skills will also be on show at Tideswell Cathedral (otherwise known as the Cathedral of the Peaks), and street entertainment, including a pop-up theatre, will be keeping the crowds amused throughout the day.
The Tideswell Food festival is run entirely by the village and any profits are put back into community projects. For a true taste of life in Tideswell, make sure you pop into its many independent shops as you make your way around the stalls.
Where: Palace Green, Ely
When: 3rd - 4th May 2015
More artisan traders, an expanded street food scene and some amazing “celebrity” chefs demonstrating in the Cookery Theatre for 2015.
Located again on Palace Green under the gaze of the magnificent Ely Cathedral in the heart of this historic city, the event will remain part of Ely’s established Eel Festival Weekend running from 1st to 4th May organised by the Tourism Team at East Cambridgeshire District Council.
The Eel Festival weekend kicks off on Friday 1st May with the launch of the Eel Food Safari where a variety of venues will be providing eel inspired dishes and menus throughout the weekend. Saturday sees the famous Eel Day Parade – a colourful, musical procession from the City Centre to the riverside, where a host of activities are held including the World Eel Throwing Championships and the Town Crier Competition.
The Food and Drink Festival itself will take place on Sunday and Monday with a fantastic line up of chef demonstrations running throughout the Festival with some very well known names soon to be announced! All our smaller artisan, specialist food and drink traders will be housed in our large Food Marquee providing samples and tasters. Outside, in The Street Food Place our expert street food traders will be offering something different and exciting to tantalise your taste buds. Our Food and Drink Market will consist of specialist traders who require a little more space to showcase their product and ranges.
Where: Portland Street. Chorley
When: 9th - 10th May 2015
This year, the Chorley Local Authority and Chorley Carnival CIC got together, cooked each other a nice meal and created something wonderful – the second annual food festival. And they’ve made sure that there will be a lot more on show than just Chorley cake.
Four local Chorley schools will be competing in a cook-off competition, popular chef Aazam Ahmad will be hosting cookery master classes, and there’ll be plenty of local produce from the multitude of exhibitors in the market square. A particular highlight to look out for will be a demonstration from Browns the Butchers, whose multiple award-winning haggis is pretty much the best that money can buy south of Hadrian’s Wall, so don’t miss out on that at least.
The event now in it's second year and will be featuring local, national and International suppliers. Entertainment, Celebrity Demonstration stage, Schools Cook Off Competition and more.
Where: Welwyn Garden City town centre
When: 16th May 2015
The World Food Festival returns to WGC town centre on 16 May 2015. This year’s event will bring together different restaurants and cuisines from around the world to the town centre. Now in its 5th year, the festival will feature over 30 food stalls producing culinary delights for visitors to taste, from Indian to Italian and caribbean to chinese.
As well as the myriad of mouth watering delicacies, visitors will be able to watch live cooking demonstrations, relax in the picnic area, browse the craft market and take part in fun children’s activities. There will also be live world music performances on the stage, ranging from Asian drumming to the Oakland College’s Performing Arts and Music students.
Where: Devizes Wiltshire
When: 16th - 24th May 2015
An action packed week of events, starting off with the Market Fair, will this year focus on the home-grown Wiltshire producers. It wouldn't be the Food and Drink Festival without the Famous Foodie Quiz or the Gala Cocktail Evening, and there will be many of your favourites too, with special evenings planned at The Bistro and The Bengal Bite, to name just two.
Returning for a second year is Erlestoke Prison's Pop Up Restaurant, a very popular evening last year. The festival organisers are also delighted to welcome Majestic Wine to the town and the festival. They are hosting a Summer Wine Tasting Evening.
Where: Hampshire
When: 17th May 2015
Humble watercress may not get much press, with other plants in the brassicaceae family such as mustard, radish and broccoli often hogging the limelight. However, the people of Alresford in
Hampshire are giving this versatile, locally grown crop the attention it deserves by holding an annual, nationally acclaimed festival in its honour. In fact, Alresford locals and visitors from far and wide have been coming together to rejoice in all things watercress for the last ten years.
One of the highlights is the street cavalcade, when the newly crowned watercress king and queen will be going on a royal tour atop a horse and cart and handing out the first of the season’s watercress to the crowd. That’s not all the watercress-based fun you can expect, either – festival-goers can watch competitors go head to head at the Watercress Eating Championship, or see who will win big at the Watercress Food Awards. Visitors can also spend the afternoon browsing the huge produce market and watching live cookery demonstrations from well-known local chefs.
Where: Channel Island
When: 21st - 25th May 2015
Following the roaring success of the past, Jersey Food Festival is back in 2015 and its set to be bigger and better than ever. The food festival aims to showcase the truly unique blend of British and French cuisine found in Jersey thanks to its location. Jersey has a grown not flown mantra about its cooking and this festival will be all about celebrating the all culinary treats the island has to offer.
With ale trails and brewery tours for the thirsty, low water rambling for the curious and wild food foraging for the brave, attendees will also be introduced to wine tasting, live entertainment, and cookery demonstrations showcasing the splendid food of Jersey.
The main star however will be of the seafood, as a small island seafood is a common dish of the land and after centuries of munching the stuff islanders have created some delicious recipes. Jersey is also home to four Michelin-starred restaurants, making it a powerhouse of culinary experience. As festival attendees, you’ll have the special privilege of meeting the people responsible for making Jersey a foodie’s paradise.
Where: Malton
When: 23rd - 24th
Malton Food Lovers Festival returns to ‘Yorkshire’s food capital’ this year on May 23rd and 24th. The full line up for the gourmet get-together has now been announced and the festival is set to be the tastiest yet. As well as a top notch billing of celebrity chefs and food writers, including Dragon’s Den champion Levi Roots, BBC wild chef Valentine Warner, Great British Menu judge and food
campaigner Prue Leith and Sunday Telegraph food writer Diana Henry, Malton Food Lovers Festival is welcoming a feast of local talent including Yorkshire food stars Andrew Pern, James Mackenzie, Tim Bilton and Simon Crannage.
Festival-goers can unleash their inner gourmet at intimate cookery lessons in Malton Cookery School, or attend tutored tastings in Malton Town Hall across the weekend. Great British Menu judge Prue Leith and acclaimed food writer Diana Henry will host exclusive afternoon teas in the Town Hall, giving foodie fans the chance to hear tales of their fascinating lives in food.
With over 160 stalls and 30 street food vendors, festival-goers will be spoilt for choice when it comes to feasting.
Where: Nottingham Castle
When: 23rd - 25th May 2015
The Great Food and Drink Festival is a celebration of all things food and drink throughout the East Midlands. There are 100’s of stalls selling high quality local produce and a large range of hot food vendors to satisfy all tastes and appetites. Watch a host of celebrity chefs, including Simon Rimmer and Adam Simmonds, in their cooking demonstrations, as well as demonstrations by local food producers like cheese making, bakers and butchers.
There will also be a selection of live music throughout the day, which will ensure that all your senses, taste, touch, hear, sight and of course smell are entertained throughout the day. You will find plenty of activities to keep children entertained from face painting, pizza making and a whole host of rides and play areas to keep the younger generation entertained.
Where: South of England Showground, Ardingly
When: 24th May 2015
The South of England Food and Drink Festival returns to The Showground in Ardingly on Sunday 24th May, mixing the hip and the traditional in artisan food, drink and entertainment. More than simply a food fair, this is a day of great live music, fun, frolics and food-related activities and games for all the family.
Drink Masterclasses starring MasterChef Professionals winner Steven Edwards, The Wobblympics, The Sussex Cheese Bowling Championships, The Brighton Rock Caber Toss, juggling and trickery from Dan the Hat, Bollywood Dancing Classes and a host of foodie activities for children of all ages.
The Sussex scene is bursting with passionate chefs preparing incredible dishes of every imaginable cuisine, using local, seasonal ingredients and serving them in style from converted vintage trucks and bespoke stalls. The very best traders from all over Sussex, as well as a few ‘guests’ from further afield will create a Street Food sensation. Food lovers will be in paradise as they taste their way around the world in a sensory overload of flavours, aromas, sights and sounds, before having their say in the outcome of the award.
At the heart of The Festival is 'The Market', a huge barn packed full of wonderful food and drink from the finest producers in the south of England. Visitors can buy everything from a mouth-watering rib of beef to exquisite shellfish and can stock up their larders with artisan bread and cakes,farm fresh fruit and vegetables, craft beers and boutique wines.
Are you heading to any festivals this year? Let us know over on @canteentweets
By Henna Holtinkoski
