Food Festivals: What To Book For 2024
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9 months ago
Foodies, get your teeth stuck into these festivals
From fresh seafood in Scotland to sparkling wine in the south, Britain is home to an abundance of excellent food and drink. And what better way to celebrate our bountiful culinary offering than by throwing a big festival? The UK’s food festival scene is stronger than ever, with an eclectic range of events taking place throughout the year. These are an opportunity to discover interesting producers, watch chef demonstrations, take part in workshops and more – often alongside a stellar music line-up. Here are some of the buzziest food festivals to book for 2024, including a Michelin-starred event at the renowned Wilderness Reserve, a weekend dedicated to oysters, a celebration of Scottish wild food and much more.
UK Food Festivals: What To Book For 2024
- Pub in the Park
- YOXMAN
- Blenheim Palace Food Festival
- The Yorkshire Dales Food & Drink Festival
- Smoke and Fire
- The Big Feastival
- Meatopia
- North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival
- Abergavenny Food Festival
- Scottish Wild Food Festival
- Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival
- England’s Seafood Fest
- Falmouth Oyster Festival
May
Pub in the Park
Tom Kerridge’s Pub in the Park sees a top line-up of chefs and music artists touring around the country, all with one mission: to celebrate everything there is to love about the glorious British pub. This year’s line-up is suitably starry, featuring chefs like Angela Hartnett, Mary Berry, Michel Roux, Candice Brown and Jose Pizarro, alongside pop-ups from restaurants like Rick Stein, Ginger Wings and The Hand & Flowers. Music is a big part of this one too, with Example, Mae Muller, Busted and Paloma Faith all performing.
When? 16 May – 8 September 2024
Where? Various locations across the country including London, Marlow and Bath
BOOK: pubintheparkuk.com
YOXMAN
Wilderness Reserve’s high-end food festival YOXMAN will return to the sprawling Suffolk estate this May. The prestigious event sees Michelin-starred chefs from all over the world gathering for a weekend of special culinary experiences – from James Knappett’s banquet dinner to a three-course spectacle from Claude Bosi. Alongside this, guests can take part in activities ranging from wild swimming to coffee masterclasses and drinks tastings, plus stay in one of the venue’s beautiful properties.
When? 17 – 20 May 2024
Where? Wilderness Reserve, Suffolk
BOOK: yoxman.com
Blenheim Palace. Dreilly95, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; cropped.
Blenheim Palace Food Festival
The majestic Blenheim Palace is a fine setting for a food festival. Head there this May to enjoy three days of artisan food and wine tasting, plus live demos, workshops and Q&As with top chefs – from Raymond Blanc to TikTok chef Sam Way. There will be plenty of activities for the whole family, alongside a picnic area and an array of local and national food stalls.
When? 25 – 27 May 2024
Where? Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
BOOK: blenheimpalace.com
July
The Yorkshire Dales Food & Drink Festival
From James Martin to Ruth Hansom and The Hairy Bikers, a whole host of top chefs will be heading to the Yorkshire Dales this July for its annual food festival. The family-friendly event attracts over 30,000 people each year, with over 250 exhibitors and the option to camp or glamp amid the picturesque setting. Chefs cook up their favourite dishes in the theatre kitchen, and visitors can get involved themselves in one of the many workshops and masterclasses on offer. Join GBBO finalist Sandy Bakes to see sweet treats being made on the Dessert Stage, for instance, or catch Michelin-starred chefs in action at The Fine Dining Stage. There’s lots for children too: last year featured a special kid-friendly cooking school, a petting farm and a disco.
When? 19 – 21 July 2024
Where? Funkirk Farm, Skipton
BOOK: yorkshiredalesfoodanddrinkfestival.com
August
Smoke and Fire
Returning across two weekends this summer is Smoke and Fire, the UK’s largest BBQ festival which is now in its sixth year. A celebration of outdoor cooking, it showcases street vendors, chefs, butchers and bakers from all over the world, taking place in two different locations: Ascot Racecourse, and Promenade Park in Maldon. At Ascot it’s all about gourmet BBQ flavours from the Mississippi Delta and Deep South, complete with street food pop-ups, live fire demos and hot wing eating challenges (for the brave-hearted). The Maldon event is similar, with the option to camp there for the weekend, plus a live music stage and a dedicated Kids Zone.
When? 20 – 21 July, and 17 – 18 August 2024
Where? Ascot Racecourse, and Promenade Park, Maldon
BOOK: smokeandfirefestival.com
c. Jenna Foxton
The Big Feastival
Always a highlight on the summer calendar is The Big Feastival, the ultimate feel-good food extravaganza which takes place on Alex James’ farm in the Cotswolds. Each year, it brings together top chefs, artists and producers – plus a whole bunch of hungry festival-goers – for a weekend of good food and good music. This year’s line-up is yet to be announced, but there’s always plenty to be excited about: the 2023 programme featured Asma Khan, Nathan Outlaw and Anna Haugh on the food side, alongside music from Sigrid, Tom Grennan and Mel C. It’s a great option for families too, with plenty of activities for little ones. Check out our guide to the festival here.
When? 23 – 25 August 2024
Where? The Cotswolds
BOOK: thebigfeastival.com
Meatopia
Now over 10 years old, Meatopia is a festival dedicated to meat, with a focus on quality and sustainability. Taking place in Tobacco Dock each year, the event sees over 60 of the world’s best live-fire chefs gather to cook up exclusive dishes over sustainably-sourced wood and charcoal, with the 2024 line-up including names like Ben Tish, Adriana Cavita and Budgie Montoya. All this is to be enjoyed alongside live music from roaming brass brands and DJs, plus craft beers and cocktails.
When? 29 August – 1 September 2024
Where? Tobacco Dock, London
BOOK: meatopia.co.uk
September
North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival
Norfolk’s biggest food festival returns to the Walled Garden at Holkham this September, with the aim of promoting small businesses, producers and chefs. Each year, over 12,000 visitors flock there to try some of the area’s finest food and drink, from pizzas to hog roasts, artisan coffee and Thai dishes. The popular Cookery Theatre hosts a line-up of the region’s best chefs, who cook up a storm using local produce. While you’re there, it’s also worth having a wander round Holkham Hall, an 18th century Palladian-style mansion, and taking a trip to the beautiful Holkham beach.
When? 31 August – 1 September 2024
Where? Holkham, Norfolk
BOOK: northnorfolkfoodfestival.co.uk
Abergavenny Food Festival
Perhaps the most high-brow festival on our list, Abergavenny Food Festival is known for bringing together chefs, food businesses, farmers and food producers who flock to the historic Welsh town to enjoy talks, demonstrations and, of course, lots of delicious food. From tutored tastings to demos from top chefs, tours and forages as well as big parties, there’s something to tickle everyone’s tastebuds.
When? 21 – 22 September 2024
Where? Abergavenny, Wales
BOOK: abergavennyfoodfestival.com
Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival
Thomasina Miers, Pierre Koffmann and Jeremy Lee were just some of the big culinary names who featured in last year’s Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival. The event returns to Snape Matings this September, offering a chance to celebrate the bountiful produce of the Suffolk area, from East Coast fisheries to gin and honey producers. Guests will be able to explore stalls from over 120 food and drink producers offering organic vegetables, beer, chocolate, bread and more, alongside plenty of street food stalls. There will also be a family-focused area where little festival-goers can get involved with cookery lessons, seed planting, face painting and more.
When? 28 – 29 September 2024
Where? Snape Maltings
BOOK: aldeburghfoodanddrink.co.uk
England’s Seafood Feast
Seafood lovers will be in heaven at this festival, which takes place across the Devon towns of Brixham, Paignton and Torquay across two weeks this autumn. Visitors can enjoy seafood-focused menus, crab-cracking masterclasses and guest chef events – with a focus on fish that has been caught locally. There will also be sea shanty singers, trips out to sea, fishing, foraging workshops, wild swimming and more. A big highlight last year was the ‘7 Chefs’ event in Torquay, where guests were treated to a seven-course seafood feast paired with local artisanal drinks.
When? 27 September – 13 October 2024
Where? South Devon
BOOK: theseafoodfeast.co.uk
October
Falmouth Oyster Festival
Oyster lovers, shuck to your heart’s content at the annual Falmouth Oyster Festival, which runs every October to celebrate the start of oyster-dredging season. Taking place on the harbourside location of Church Street, it offers a mix of cookery demonstrations, live music, arts and crafts and more, with plenty of opportunities to sample top Cornish produce. Naturally, oysters are a key focus: there’s a shucking competition and a grand oyster parade, but the festival also celebrates the wider diversity of Cornish seafood, with plenty of champagne to pair it with.
When? 10 – 13 October 2024
Where? Falmouth, Cornwall
BOOK: falmouthoysterfestival.co.uk
