GREAT WELSH FOOD FESTIVALS TO WHET YOUR APPETITE...
IF YOU’RE looking to get some events in the diary this summer then Wales has some brilliant food festivals you can pop along to for a day out. Bringing the best of Welsh food and drink, and treats from further afield, the events are dotted all over the country so there’s bound to be one near you.
Some are street food events that bring together the hottest dishes on the circuit, such as Hills burgers, El Cabron tacos and loads more. While other events offer food stalls, but also take-home items, chef talks and food demos.
Cardiff Foodies Festival Foodies Festival returns to Bute Park, Cardiff, which runs until today, with new features and a star-studded line-up of celebrity chefs and chart-topping music stars, including: Example, Peter Andre, Ibiza Philharmonic orchestra and BBC Wales presenter and DJ, Katie Owen. Known as Gastro-Glastonbury, the three-day event will feature live cooking demonstrations from TV celebrities and chefs drawn from the ranks of MasterChef, Great British Bake Off and Great British Menu.
Visitors can browse the latest food trends in the shopping village, meet local producers in the artisan market and taste exotic and unusual new dishes in the feasting tent, which features a mouthwatering range of street food and delicacies from all four corners of the globe.
Forest Feastival, Merthyr Mawr Running this and next weekend, this Street Food Circus event once again showcases top streetfood eats from tacos, steak, burgers, Chicago-style sandwiches and more. Entry is by a £5 ticket.
Big Banquet in the Castle Caldicot Big Banquet will return to Caldicot Castle for two weekends this spring with street food traders bringing Korean buns, Keralan curries, Italian beef sandwiches and more to the medieval venue. Street Food Circus is putting on its banquet over the two half-term weekends of May 24 to 27 May and May 31 to June 2. Big Banquet tickets cost £5 for adults and free for children under 16.
Cowbridge Food Festival The foodie favourite is back with a bang again this year across the end of May Bank Holiday Weekend (Sunday, May 26 to Monday, May 27). There is guaranteed to be something to suit all diets, ages and interests – moreish meats, vegan varieties, curries, cheeses, chutneys; scrumptious ciders, great gins, sweet treats and so much more.
As well as the main festival site at the Arthur John Car Park, the Old Hall Gardens will be buzzing with lots of family-friendly activities to enjoy; willow weaving, petanque, birds of prey and so much more. In another festival first, the Vale Food Trail will be celebrating sustainability with a fun timetable of children’s activities and the Lemoneers will be adding extra festival fizz with their homemade lemonade. The much-loved food demos are set to return, providing extra entertainment at the Duke of Wellington on High Street.
Pembrokeshire Street Food Festival, Tenby Held over the weekend of June 7 to 9, this sees some of Wales’ best traders head west to fill the bellies of Pembs foodies and lucky holidaymakers catching an early break. Expect burgers, pizza, fire cooking from Mwg, Uzbek dumplings and more.
Cardiff Food and Drink Festival With a streetfood market, a farmers’ market and a full programme of live music the festival down Cardiff Bay is a popular one indeed. It runs from Friday, July 5, to Sunday, July 7.
The Little Cheese Festival, Caerphilly While The Big Cheese Festival takes a break due to continuing development works at Caerphilly Castle, The Little Cheese Festival take place once more this summer. On Saturday, August 31, and Sunday, September 1, the Little Cheese Festival will take place in Caerphilly town centre, and play host to local and headline musicians along with numerous food and drink stalls. There will also be music workshops, craft sessions and small funfair rides for the children.
Newtown Food Festival Set in the town hall grounds, the tenth annual festival will be back on September 7 and 8 this year. The festival is free to attend.
Amgueddfa Food Festival, St Fagans, Cardiff A firm favourite in Wales’ foodie calendar, St Fagans comes alive with more than 80 food, drink and craft stalls nestled among the historic buildings. Enjoy a feast of family-friendly foodie activities, cookery demos, tasty treats and live music from some of Wales’ finest producers. This year’s event will be held on September 7 and 8.
Abergavenny Food Festival Taking place this year on September 21 and 22, tickets are already on sale for the event and if you buy a stroller ticket, you’ll have access to six venues in the centre of town with 180-plus exhibitors and caterers, plus guest chef demonstrations in the Market Hall, and cooking over fire sessions, talks and debates and children’s activities in the castle grounds.