Your first thoughts when you hear the word ‘festival’ will likely be of music and of mud. Festival, after all, has largely been a name that’s been usurped by the likes of Glastonbury, the Isle of Wight, Reading and Leeds, and other such massive musical occasions. There are, however, plenty of other types of festival that deserve a little more attention and a lot more love.
If you’re more a fan of gourmet cuisine than of grime or would choose red hot chilli over the Red Hot Chilli Peppers any day, for instance, a food festival could be your perfect day out. Fortunately, too, there are loads of such events held all over the country and the following guide should be able to help you find one that’s just right for you.
Foodies Festivals
What better place to start a festival guide for foodies than with a collection of events literally named Foodies Festivals? Held from late spring until early summer, these festivals have been going now for a number of years and annually visit a number of different venues all around Great Britain.
In 2017, the towns, cities and locations set to welcome a Foodies Festival are Bristol, Birmingham, Brighton, Syon Park, Newcastle, Blackheath, Tatton Park, Edinburgh, the Alexandra Place in London and Oxford. Wherever you live, therefore, there should be a festival well within reach and whichever one you choose to visit, you will be met by a similar selection of fun and interesting attractions.
Each Foodies Festival boasts demonstrations and opportunities to meet celebrities and TV personalities associated with food in the local area, and twin those appearances with loads of other features. Artisan markets, for example, selling local delicacies, gourmet food, craft beer and even champagne are available to browse whilst a continuous soundtrack of live music can make a visit to a Foodies Festival just perfect.
Great British Food Festivals
Another selection of events that occur annually and which visit different locations around the country, the Great British Food Festivals add the extra twist of being held in some of Britain’s most unique and iconic stately homes and other beautiful locations.
This year those locations are namely Stonyhurst College, Hardwick Hall, Harewood House, Weston Park, Kelmarsh Hall, Knebworth House, Castle Howard, Bowood House and Arley Hall. Once again, then, you should be able to find a festival close enough to visit and if you do, you can also explore and enjoy the venue and its grounds as well as the festival’s own attractions.
Those attractions are numerous and often include exciting and fun food challenges and demonstrations in addition to the interesting stalls and markets selling produce. Live music and children’s entertainment is regularly provided, too, and ensures that a trip to a Great British Food Festival is fun for all the family.
Other Options
Whilst the two varieties of food festival discussed above are arguably the most notable national food festival events, there are also a plethora of other similar events held all over Great Britain during the spring and summer.
Towns, local regions or counties typically hold at least one food festival to celebrate produce and products from the surrounding area and there are also a wide variety of more specialist food festivals to visit, too.
Festivals specifically celebrating vegan food, gluten free food, sausages, chilli and much more besides, in fact, are held in various locations around the country. No matter what your taste or your interests, therefore, if you’re a bit of a foodie you’ll be sure to find the perfect festival to visit.