We can bank on the fact that all you Square Mealers love food. And we would suspect that being a fun-loving lot many of you enjoy a good festival too. So when the two come together in the form of a giant gastronomic playground in a field, it can only be a good thing. But with an endless list of festivals to choose from these days, how do you tell the good from the bad and the downright ugly? Fortunately we’re here to guide you through it, as always. Summer is in full swing (we will not say it is drawing to a close) so you’ll have to wait until next year for some of these, but we’ve updated our round-up with plenty of festivals still to come. So, here you have it, the who’s who of UK foodie festivals. Send us some tasty tokens in the post.
The Big Feastival, Oxfordshire (above)
What: Jamie Oliver’s family-friendly festival with multi-talented musician-cum-cheesemaker Alex James sees food fashionista Gizzi Erskine and TV personalities The Fabulous Baker Brothers get their hands dirty alongside Raymond Blanc and Mark Hix, with a soundtrack provided by chart-topping Dizzee Rascal, Example and Ella Eyre
Where: Alex James’ farm near Kingham, OX7 6UJ
When: 28-30 August
Why: Whether you’re there for the day, glamping or taking your campervan, the combination of food, live music and workshops will keep all ages entertained
Cheltenham Food and Drink Festival, Cheltenham (below)
What: A refined affair in Cheltenham’s pretty Montpellier Gardens celebrating the best of the Cotswolds cuisine. Settle in for a talk from local and celebrity chefs (including Rachel Green and Mark Lloyd) on anything from olive oil to beekeeping. Then grab some sustenance from one of 200 fine food and drink exhibitors and settle in for a spot of jazz or a Punch and Judy show
Where: Montepellier Gardens, GL50 1SD
When: 12-14 June
Why: The quality of produce will make you never want to set foot in a supermarket again
Clitheroe Food Festival, Lancashire
What: One for the north-west, 20,000 visitors flock to this showcase of the finest Lancastrian fare. There’ll be hog roast, deli stalls and speciality ale galore, alongside a variety of workshops and demonstrations so you can DIY when you get home
Where: Clitheroe town centre
When: 8 August
Why: It’s free and there’s a ‘food academy’ for little ones, as well as the Castle Field Fair to keep everyone entertained
Dartmouth Food Festival, Devon (above)
What: A tantalising blend of the best of the west, with talks and masterclasses from top chefs (including Mitch Tonks) and over 100 producers showcasing their wares. Learn to dress a crab, cook perfect steaks, decorate your cupcakes, fillet your fish, make perfect scones or carve a pumpkin
Where: Events take place around Dartmouth town
When: 23-25 October
Why: It’s a bit later than the others, so if you’re a food festival fanatic, there’s one to look forward to as winter approaches
Eden’s Festival of Food, Cornwall (above)
What: Some say that chefs are the rock stars of our time, which basically means this star-studded soiree is the gourmet Glastonbury: Jean-Christophe Novelli (below), Ken Hom, Phil Vickery, Lesley Waters and The Great British Bake Off winner Nancy Birtwhistle will be showering attendees with talks, tips and demonstrations, so you can go home and recreate the experience. Maybe
Where: The Eden Project, Bodelva, Cornwall, PL24 2SG
When: 10-27 September
Why: You’ve watched these guys on telly and now you can see them in the flesh. Don’t forget a permanent marker so they can sign your cookbook/wooden spoon/forehead
Fare Healthy, London
What: If you’re considering getting ‘my body is a temple’ tattooed on some part of your (very lean) yoga-toned body, this Borough Market event is for you. A festival dedicated to wellbeing, the cream (or should we say almond milk?) of the healthy eating crop (including Hemsley + Hemsley, Deliciously Ella, Peardrop London and Skinny Bitch Collective) will be on hand to transform you into a green god/goddess, if you’re not quite there already
Where: Borough Market, 8 Southwark Street, SE1 1TL
When: 27 September
Why: We’ve attended a lot of BBQs this summer, where we indulged in all things meaty and drink-y: it’s time to detox (sniff)
The Festival of Heat, London (above)
What: A fiery festival taking place at the aptly-named Red Market in Shoreditch. Get your taste buds tingling with chilli from every corner of the earth, as producers, traders and chefs get ready to blow both mind and mouth with their jams, sauces and pickles, as well as dishing out top tips for spicing it up at home
Where: Red Market, 288 Old Street, EC1V 9LA
When: 27 September
Why: Because who doesn’t want to feel hot, hot, hot!
The Great British Food Festival, Warwickshire (above)
What: Cookery classes and forager-guided walks are the latest addition to this festival at Ragley Hall, which sees over 80 local producers gather for hot food, real ale and wine bars; this should aid your transition to the approaching colder months nicely. Bake Off finalist Luis Troyano and Master Chef’s Luke Owen will be leading demonstrations and there’s also a cake competition
Where: Ragley Hall, Alcester, Warwickshire, B49 5NJ
When: 12-13 September
Why: We forgot to mention the Men Vs. Food competition – when else would it be ok to take part in one of these?
Great Cornish Food Festival, Truro (above)
What: When it comes to favourite things, we’re pretty sure that pasties, lobster and ice cream are up there. And this celebration of Cornish creations sees over 60 producers with buckets of the stuff for your consumption. Sample dishes from chefs including Jack Stein (son of Rick) and Andy Appleton (of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant) before trying your hand at fruit painting and mixology
Where: Back Quay, Truro, TR1 2LL
When: 25-27 September
Why: Any excuse to go to Cornwall when the summer crowds have dispersed but the weather is still nice
Pommery Seafood Festival, Dorset (below)
What: The U.K’s biggest, fishiest celebration of all things seafood-y. Gorge on oysters, go mad for crab and wash it down with a glass of Pommery Champagne (or two), but probably not before attending a fish-filleting masterclass
Where: Weymouth Harbour, DT4 8ED
When: 11-12 July
Why: We already told you. Champers and seafood. What more could you want?
Gefiltefest Jewish Festival, London
What: Dubbed the ‘intellectuals’ food festival’, Gefiltefest (a play on words based on ‘Gefilte Fish’, a traditional Eastern European spiced fish) is a celebration of Jewish heritage and a must-visit regardless of religion. Join MasterChef 2015 finalist Emma Spitzer and cookbook writer Claudia Roden as they explore Judaism through food
When: 28 June
Where: JW3 Arts and Culture Centre, 341-351 Finchley Road, NW3 6ET
Why: You’ll come away having learnt (and tasted) something new and with your appetite whetted for introducing Jewish dishes at home
Taste of London, Regent’s Park (below)
What: The cream of the culinary crop gather to give foodies a taste of the city’s top dining destinations. Expect chef royalty Raymond Blanc, Michel Roux Jr, Nuno Mendes, Marcus Wareing and José Pizarro alongside restaurant heavyweights, Duck & Waffle and The Clove Club, to name but a few
When: 17-21 June
Where: Regent’s Park, Chester Road, NW1 4NR
Why: A gastronomic playground in the city which makes for a really good day out. As do the Laurent-Perrier Champagne masterclasses…
Omnivore Food Festival, London
What: Local and international chefs including Alexandre Gauthier (La Grenouillère in La Madeleine-sous-Montreuil), Gregory Marchand (of Frenchie in Paris and coming soon to London) and Jorge Vallejo (Quintonil, Mexico City) are swooping into Blighty to join James Lowe (Lyle’s) for a contemporary epicurean collaboration. Expect a mixture of masterclasses, pop-up dinners and parties
Where: Various locations, see website for details
When: 10-13 September
Why: It’s toured Paris, Moscow, Shanghai and Montreal and expects to attract 4,000 visitors in four days, so you probably should sample it too
This article was published 18 August 2015