The biggest food festivals coming to Wales in 2023

Food festival season is upon us and foodies across Wales are loosening their belts to tuck into some of the country’s best grub, says Eve Rowlands...

SUMMER is almost in touching distance, which means foodies across Wales are gearing up to spend their weekends travelling up and down the country to sample our best and tastiest festivals which promise some of the country’s most delectable produce and dishes – tastebuds at the ready...

We’re lucky to have a whole host of food festivals here in Wales – from Abergavenny and Mold to Cardiff – and last year saw the welcome return of many after the pandemic.

And this year, our favourites are back and stronger than ever with an array of street food vendors, producers and food demonstrations from renowned chefs.

Whether you’re after churros or chutney, ice cream or iceburg lettuce or paella or peanut butter, there’s something for everyone at the many festivals being held over the next few months.

FOODIES FESTIVAL

May 6, 7 & 8

This massive three-day food and music festival, the line-up for which includes big names like Scouting For Girls, Toploader and Callum Beattie as well as food stars like Andrew Minto, Hywel Griffith and Cardiff ’s own Owen Morgan and Thomas Heaney, is coming to Wales’ capital city for the first time ever and is set to be one of the biggest events of the year.

Being held across the Coronation weekend in Bute Park, Foodies Festival began in 2005 and has grown into one of the biggest food festivals in the UK.

With live cooking demonstrations from chefs who have appeared on television programmes like Masterchef, Great British Bake Off and the Great British Menu, and musical performances from chart-toppers, it’s set to be a delicious weekend.

PEMBROKESHIRE STREET FOOD FESTIVAL

June 16, 17 & 18

One of Wales’ biggest festivals is back with the Pembrokeshire Street Food Festival bringing a wide array of delicious food stalls to Tenby for one weekend.

Now in its fifth successful year, the festival will be hosting some of our most-loved street food vendors, among some newbies. Names include the Real Ting, Two Lads Kitchen, Bare Bones Pizza, Poutine Punks, Meating Point, Smoke & Embers, That Street Food Van, Ychafi, Nomad Waffles and Churros Hermanos.

There will be around 25 vendors in total, so keep your eyes peeled for more names to be thrown into the ring.

MERTHYR MAWR’S FOREST FEASTIVAL

Weekends until May 14

The Forest Feastival has already been open in Bridgend for more than two weeks, but with it continuing until May 14, it’d be rude not to include it among Wales’ best food festivals.

Pitched up among the trees in the woods, British Street Food Award-winners Fire & Flank and Keralan Karavan will be returning alongside Bao Selecta, Smokin’ Griddle, Nomad Kitchen, Rock & Scallop, Mr Noodle and Bare Bones Pizza. New ventures from Nook and Kindle owners Phil and Debs Lewis, called Pot Heads and Fried Chicken Chronicles, will also be introduced to foodies.

Other names include Jackson’s, Sin Nombre Tacos, El Cabron Tacos, Pwdin, Ammanford’s Coaltown Coffee Roasters, Rouge Welsh Cakes, Church of Churros and Ychafi.

COWBRIDGE FOOD FESTIVAL

May 28 & 29

Cowbridge is back to its normal routine of bringing foodies to its delicious festival on the bank holiday weekend on May 28 and 29 – a perfect way to spend the extra day off, if you ask me.

Food vendors like the Bearded Taco, Taste of Persia, the Mighty Soft Shell Crab, the Real Ting, Tokyo Nights, Keralan Karavan, Sin Nombre Taco and Lilo’s Handmade Pasta will be making an appearance alongside producers like Hensol Castle Distillery, Nuts About Cinnamon and Pembrokeshire Fudge among so many others.

THE AMGUEDDFA CYMRU FOOD FESTIVAL

September 9 & 10

Eighty food and drink stalls nestled in among the historic buildings of St Fagans sounds like a pretty idyllic food festival. Bask in the history and culture of Wales as you take part in family-friendly activities, oggle at the cookery demos on offer, be serenaded by live music and, of course, munch on tasty treats from food vendors.

There will be various zones in which to stuff your faces – the Food Market, the Street Food Area as well as the museum’s own shop and restaurant. It’s a free event for which you need not book tickets.

BIG WELSH BITE

August 5 & 6

Returning to Rhondda Cynon Taf this year, the Big Welsh Bite will be back at Ynysangharad War Memorial Park for a weekend of wood-fired pizzas, Welsh beef burgers, spiced tikka wraps, churros, fudge, ice cream, candy floss and more alongside a buzzing beer garden.

While a list of vendors have not yet been released, if previous years are anything to go by it’s a feast worth being excited for. And with live music and comedy usually being a staple of the weekend, we’re sure this year’s spectacle will match the magnificence of its past events.

ABERGAVENNY FOOD FESTIVAL

September 16 & 17

Perhaps one of the biggest Welsh food festivals in any foodie’s calendar, the Abergavenny Food Festival is an extravaganza that is not to be missed – and this year especially as it is celebrating its 25th birthday.

With more than 150 incredible producers and exhibitors on offer and various different markets

THE GOWER CHEESE AND CIDER FESTIVAL

May 19, 20 & 2121

For cider lovers and those with an affinity for a certain pungent dairy treat, it can’t get much better than sitting in the sunshine with a cold pint in hand and hanging out with your family and friends and listening to some stunning live music.

And at the popular annual Gower Cheese and Cider Festival, which is back at the Gower Heritage Centre this year in May, you can do exactly that.

Sample, feast on and buy cheese and cider to your heart’s content while you soak up the sounds of acts like Balkaneers, Soul Skunk, Jack Dawgs, the Right Honourables and Hela. This year, festivalgoers must buy their ticket in advance and those travelling by car will also need to pre-order a ticket for the car park ahead of their arrival. For more information or to buy tickets, visit the Gower Heritage Centre.

CAERPHILLY FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL 2023

Today (April 29)

For one day – and one day only – the foodies of Caerphilly can peruse, sample and buy from more than 130 different food and drink stalls in the town centre. With chocolate, pies, jams and marmalades and baked goods on offer – with a number of stalls selling beer, cider, gin and Pimms to help you wash it all down – there is something for everyone.

If you’re looking for something a bit heartier, there will also be an array of mouth-watering local street food vendors, including gourmet burgers, curries, pizza and much more.

Locations for the event include the Artisan Market, Castle Court Shopping Centre Craft & Food Market and the Cenotaph Craft Fair by Crafty Legs – as well as the main high street (Cardiff Road) through to the Twyn Car Park.

NEWTOWN FOOD FESTIVAL

September 2 & 3

Hosted in the Town Hall Grounds, Newtown Food Festival is back for the ninth year running and it is looking forward to welcoming back foodie fanatics for mid-wales’ biggest free food festival.

A treat for the whole family, there will be a wide array of local producers, exhibitors and activities to keep you and your little ones happy for the whole weekend. While munching on some delicious dishes, your ears will also have a treat as some of Wales’ best talent will have you up on your feet, dancing the Saturday night away.

MOLD FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL

September 16 & 17

Returning to Mold’s New Street Car Park, the north Walian food festival, which is organised by a dedicated group of volunteers from local businesses and councils, is back and promises to be the best one yet.

This year, it’ll feature delicious food stalls such as Penderyn Distillery, Anglesey Spirit Co, Enjoy Desserts, Plenty of Dough, Lovecheesecakes, Bongo’s Rock & Roll Chillis, the Gourmet Brownie Company, Glitterbugz and Flamin Rooster BBQ.

MARGAM PARK’S THE GREAT BRITISH FOOD FESTIVAL

September 2 & 3

Street food, chef demos, artisan markets, bars, challenges – which have previously included man v food, cake offs, a baking and a BBQ stage – a new Grow Your Own stage, circus skills and live music, this food festival has it all. With foraging walks, a mini zoo and kids activities and a cooking stage, it really is fun for all the family – even the dog!

NEWPORT FOOD FESTIVAL

Saturday, October 14

The Newport Food Festival is returning later this year and, for 2023, they want to make it bigger and better than ever. With more food stalls, chef demos, workshops and live music, this one-day event is set to be a whopper. The festival is currently on the lookout for exhibitors to feature on its stalls on the Saturday. They may even extend it to the Sunday if it proves to be a hit.

NARBERTH FOOD FESTIVAL

September 23 & 24

This firm favourite festival among foodies has been running for more than 20 years and it’s clear to see why.

Not only is it set in the quaint Pembrokeshire town of Narberth (which is also home to one of the world’s best pizza chefs), but the festival has more than 50 stalls on offer, which in the past have hosted foods from Spain to Trinidad and promises to entertain ticketholders with music from live bands and guest chef masterclasses and workshops – last year’s line up included Matt Waldron, Bake Off ’s Michelle Evans-fecci and Angela Gray and, if that’s anything to go by, ticketholders are in for a treat.