Festivals are great, but food festivals are better. What better way to banish the winter blues than by booking tickets to experience some of the best food in the country? There’s nothing wrong with planning a meal this far in advance… This is our pick of the coolest food festivals to head to in 2018.
St Ives Food & Drink Festival
11th – 13th May
It’s all oysters, champagne and sandy toes at the South coast’s biggest food festival on the idyllic Porthminster Beach, St Ives.
Last year alone it attracted more than 12,000 guests! With over 60 stands of local produce, cooking demonstrations from top chefs and live music, it’s the perfect way to celebrate the start of summer (and festival) season. And we do like to be beside the seaside… stivesfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk
River Cottage Food Fair
26th – 27th May
Food for thought and a weekend on a farm with world-famous chefs? That’s exactly what’s on offer at the annual River Cottage Food Fair, this year featuring the likes of Tom Kerridge, Melissa Hemsley and Anna Jones. Head to the beautiful Dorset to pick up top cooking tips, learn new skills, meet the animals, and of course, eat to your heart’s content! With plenty of masterclasses and workshops (including for children), there’s nowhere we’d rather be on the Bank Holiday weekend. Tickets from £12.50, rivercottage.net
Jam on Rye
28th May
KERB presents the newest, and possibly the coolest, food and music festival to come to the capital. This Bank Holiday Monday, celebrate the coming summer at Peckham Rye Park with the best London street food from the likes of Breddos, White Men Can’t Jerk, Club Mexicanam, Only Jerkin’ and more. With a mix of reggae, afrobeat and new wave jazz on the stages from the likes of David Rodigan and Horace Andy, expect the ultimate in London cool, ‘whether you’re a baby boomer or a boom-boxer, got gold teeth or no teeth’ – an interesting crowd to say the least… Early bird tickets have sold out already so keep an eye on kerbfood.com/jamonrye for the next release.
Fork to Fork
16th June
Bringing together some of the UK’s most talented chefs, Fork to Fork festival was set up in 2015 to raise money for an Open Air classroom project to teach children how to succeed in work and life. Expect to wash down delicious meals with some of London’s finest craft beer, artisan wines and spirits. The current restaurant line-up includes Michelin-starred Club Gascon and Pied à Terre, Granger & Co, Kitty Fisher’s, Ottolenghi, The River Cafe and more. Tickets go on sale soon, franklinforktofork.com
Smoked & Uncut
16th, 30th June and 14th July.
The annual Smoked & Uncut festival is more glamour than grunge, and you can expect a line-up of handpicked classic and contemporary artists as well as home-made street food, local ales and plenty of cocktails. The glamorous foodie’s festival, it’s famed for its large family-style pop-up restaurant Feasts which see some of the country’s best chefs cook up a storm for sold-out communal Feasting tables. 2018 participants to be announced soon.
The festival will hit 4 locations this year: Brockenhurst, Bath, Lime Wood, and Devon. smokedanduncut.com
Big Feastival
24th – 26th August
Grab your bags and head down to the Cotswolds with the whole family this August bank holiday to experience the ultimate feel-good festival with a combination of top class food and a smashing line up of live music. This year’s line up is better than ever, with Basement Jaxx, Craig David, Paloma Faith, James Arthur, Sugarhill Gang & Furious Five among others, as well as food from Mark Hix, Marco Pierre White and Raymond Blanc. Day tickets from £64, uk.thebigfeastival.com
Meatopia
31st August – 2nd September
Situated in London’s Tobacco Dock, Meatopia is not for the faint hearted or small stomached. Each day, 25 chefs will create and cook a unique dish in front of your eyes for you to try! Pay using the Festival’s currency, Meatbucks, to experience the meaty madness. The perfect excuse to eat, drink and dance the weekend away. Tickets start from £21.20, meatopia.co.uk
Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival
29th – 30th September
Snape Maltings in Suffolk is home to the famous Aldeburgh Music festival, but also the Food & Drink festival which is widely regarded as one of the best in the country. Now in its 13th year, head to Aldeburgh in September to experience all of Suffolk’s best food and drink under one roof, with a large indoor market, food stalls, masterclasses, events and talks from renowned chefs.aldeburghfoodanddrink.co.uk
(Article source: Town and Country House)
