This summertime there are dozens of fabulous Food festivals to attend. From pop-up pubs to magical estates and family-friendly music festivals, here’s our top pick of what’s on in the West Country….
*Originally published in FOODLOVER Magazine*
Cornwall
Mevagissey Feast Week
23 June – 29 June 2019
Venues throughout Mevagissey town.
Mevagissey Feast Week is thought to be the longest surviving food festival in Cornwall. It owes its success to its unique blend of traditional and contemporary events and its ability to bring the whole community together, alongside hundreds of visitors each year. The weeklong celebration of Cornish food and community features exhibitions, demonstrations, live music and lots of fish dishes to enjoy throughout your visit. Along with choirs and bands, flora dances, children’s entertainment and competitions, you can look forward to colourful parades, boat races and a huge firework display to top it all off.
Port Eliot Festival
25 July – 28 July 2019
Port Eliot Estate, St Germans, near Saltash
Port Eliot Festival is hailed as the original free-ranging festival of ideas. It brings together an impressive collection of artists, musicians, writers, comedians, performers and chefs in one of the most beautiful corners of the West County. The event is set against the rolling park and woodland of the ancient estate at St Germans and guests can look forward to some of best foodie experiences around. This year, you can get ready to tuck into delicious dinners made by Ben Quinn, from The Woodfired Canteen, and enjoy the freshest flavours of the sea courtesy of The Oyster Shack.
Devon & Dorset
Nourish Festival
31 August 2019
Throughout Bovey Tracey Town
This year’s Nourish Festival promises to be overflowing with food, music and craft events. Bovey Tracey’s main street will be filled with great West Country food producers along with a mouth-watering selection of street food vendors. Stalls to get excited about include Curio Spirits, Riverford Farm, Frandie Macaron, Forest Fungi and Meat 59.
Bridport Food Festival
9 – 15 June 2019
Throughout Bridport Town, Dorset
Bridport Food Festival is a fabulous gathering of food lovers with the aim of supporting local produce and producers. This year’s festival will see an exciting programme of cookery demonstrations to enjoy, as well as a baking competition for budding bakers, a Beer Festival with over 75 beers and 30 ciders to sample, and a children’s marquee filled with fun activities.
Melplash Show
22 August 2019
The West Bay Show Grounds, Bridport
The Melplash Agricultural Society Show is one of the South West’s premier agricultural exhibitions, held at The West Bay Show Grounds. There really will be something for everyone at this year’s show, as it is packed full of exhibits, including livestock, horses, homecrafts and horticulture. There will be over 400 trade stands selling everything from locally produced food to tractors and plenty in between!
Somerset & Bath
Smoked & Uncut
15th June 2019
The Pig Hotel, Pensford, Bath
The Smoked & Uncut Festival offers a tempting line-up of glamping, music and feasting. Set against a backdrop of the rolling Mendip Hills, this is not your average English festival. It’s more glamour than grunge and you can expect a line-up of handpicked classic and contemporary artists and and delicious home-made food. This year, Mark Hix will be dishing up indulgent home-style Indian curry dishes, while Angela Hartnett will be hosting a three-course feasting lunch in the mobile Field Kitchen.
Pub in the Park
21 – 23 June 2019
Royal Victoria Park, Bath
Pub in the Park is a glorious three-day feast of the very best food Bath has to offer. A merry band of top foodie folk will head to the West Country bringing together brilliant food, live music and Michelin-starred chefs all served up in a beautiful park, making for the ultimate pub garden unlike any other. There will be pop-up pubs and restaurants, each serving tasting dishes for you to enjoy, with a line-up that includes the likes of Tom Kerridge’s The Hand & Flowers, Josh Eggleton’s The Pony & Trap and Stephen Terry’s The Hardwick.
Bristol & Beyond
Valley Fest
2 – 4 August 2019
Chew Magna, Somerset
Valley Fest is a family-friendly festival celebrating, music, organic food and farming, in a stunning location overlooking Chew Valley Lake. Step into a weekend of eating, drinking, dancing and lazing by the lake in a celebration of the West Country’s incredible food and those who produce it. This year, some of the region’s biggest culinary heroes will be cooking up feasts for festival guests. Join fellow diners for tempting menus crafted by Josh Eggleton, Rob Howell, and The Free-Range Chef, Beth Al Rikabi.
Longleat Food Festival
Immerse yourself in Longleat’s third Food & Drink Festival as they blend their traditional offering with a touch of Australia to celebrate the arrival of their koalas and wombats. They have a recipe for success with the main ingredient being Australian celebrity chef, John Torode, for live cooking demonstrations in The Longhouse.
There are even more entertaining ingredients to further add to your delightful day, including Afternoon Tea in the Great Hall of Longleat House (pre-booking is essential). Experience a sense-sation as you smell the aroma of gourmet sausages sizzling on the barbeque, taste the fruity notes of specialist suppliers’ wine and premium refreshing larger and robust ales from The Bath Arms bar. Listen to live music and enjoy an array of colour from the local produce stalls and scrumptious cuisines in the hustle and bustle of their Market Street. All of this is mixed with a dash of funfair excitement within the beautiful and iconic grounds of Longleat Estate.
Add the cherry on top of an already astonishing and action-packed day with all their amazing attractions, including the exhilarating Safari Park, memorable Jungle Cruise, bemusing Hedge Maze, exciting Adventure Castle, and classic Longleat Railway and more; all included in your Day Ticket.
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