Virtual food and drink festivals get helping hand
WITH traditional food events off the agenda this summer, many Welsh food and drink producers have had to find other ways of reaching the public. This has resulted in several “virtual” food events being set up across Wales.
Help with venturing into this new world is now available from Cywain – a Menter a Busnes programme dedicated to developing new and existing micro-businesses and SMEs in the Welsh food and drink sector.
Cywain’s tourism and hospitality development manager Nia Ball explained: “We’re extending to [Welsh food festivals] the chance to access the free benefits and services that we’ve historically offered to food and drink businesses, including expert guidance on relevant topics and financial support towards eligible costs.”
■ Taste of West Wales (August 1)
In a few days, the virtual doors will open at the Taste of West Wales Festival. Instead of the public physically attending at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, they will be able to enjoy the sights and sounds via the internet.
Co-ordinator Diana Vickers said: “Stallholders had already signed up for the spring festival, and when it and the summer festival was cancelled, we started to think outside of the box – and came up with holding a virtual festival.”
The festival will run from 10am-4pm on the Showcasing West Wales Facebook page. Diana will guide visitors through the schedule of live chef demonstrations, craft workshops, and a host of producer videos and stalls.
“I have never done this sort of thing before, but Cywain has been quite amazing and instantly grasped what we’re trying to do,” said Diana. “Nia arranged for me to receive advice from a digital marketing specialist and Cywain have also supported us to engage the chefs.”
■ www.tasteofwestwales.co.uk
■ Gwyl Fwyd Amgueddfa Cymru Food Festival (September 12-13)
Each year the St Fagans Food Festival attracts thousands of people – and organisers hope this year’s virtual event will be just as popular. Renamed the Gwyl Fwyd Amgueddfa Cymru Food Festival, the event is a Wales-wide celebration of food and drink, featuring a number of National Museum of Wales sites, including St Fagans.
There will be activities for all age ranges on various social media platforms. On Facebook there will be family-focused interactive “have a go” events, while Instagram (museumwales) will have a more “festival vibe” aimed at 18 to 30 year-olds. Crowdcast will host panel discussions and cooking demonstrations. Over on Twitter (@amgueddfacymru) curators will highlight some of the food-related items from the museum’s collection.
Cywain has supported a number of the events including cookery demonstrations and masterclasses. Among these is a Welsh beer-tasting session with real ale expert Simon Martin, livestreamed from his Barry home.
National Museum Wales head of events Mared Maggs said: “The partnership with Cywain has been invaluable. Their network of suppliers has allowed us to diversify our audiences and engage with producers across Wales.”
Most events are free, but some ticketed and paid-for activities need to be pre-booked.
■ https://museum.wales/whatson/ food-festival-2020/