With over 100 UK food festivals scheduled for 2023, there’s never been a better time to embark on a gastronomical journey across the British Isles.
6 UK food festivals to get your teeth stuck into this year
Here’s my pick of the best UK food and drink festivals to get your teeth stuck into this year.
Abergavenny Food Festival
The largest food festival in Wales and one of the best of its kind in the UK, Abergavenny Food Festival is turning 25 on 16th-17th September 2023.
Held in the historical market town of Abergavenny in Monmouthshire, south Wales, highlights include hundreds of independent food and drink producers, popular Welsh street food vendors, high-profile chef demonstrations, and engaging discussions from food and drink experts.
The Great British Food Festival
Celebrating its 13th birthday this year, the Great British Food Festival is one of the UK’s most popular food festivals, taking place in eleven lavish country manors dotted throughout the UK, on different dates from May to September 2023.
Expect live cookery demonstrations from top chefs, ‘Man vs. Food’-style eating challenges, live music, foraging walks, children’s cookery classes and activities, an artisan market, street food vendors and more. Early bird tickets are now available, so book now to save yourself a few pounds!
St Ives Food and Drink Festival
Returning from 12th – 14th May, the St. Ives Food and Drink Festival takes place on the picturesque Porthminster Beach in St. Ives, Cornwall.
Free to attend, the festival showcases the very best of what the Cornish food and drink scene has to offer, from popular local food and drink producers and vendors; to cookery demonstrations; and a fire pit cooking stage. Live music and entertainment will also be provided.
Isle of Wight Garlic Festival
Established in 1983 in celebration of the humble garlic bulb, the Isle of Wight Garlic Festival takes place annually over the third weekend of August, on the Isle of Wight Garlic Farm at The Fighting Cocks Crossroads, just outside Newchurch.
Taking place from 19th – 20th August this year, the festival is now one of the Isle of Wight’s biggest annual events. Expect garlic galore, alongside live music, arena entertainment and children’s activities. Plus, for the first time ever this year, the festival will host the Garlic Festival Dog Show. Tickets available here.
Meatopia
Held from 31st August to 3rd September at London’s Tobacco Dock, Meatopia is the ultimate UK meat feast, attracting thousands of meat lover from across the UK, and beyond.
From live fire cookery demos using sustainable charcoal and wood from top chefs like Francis Mallmann, Niklas Ekstedt, Amninder Sandhu, and Yotam Ottolenghi; to the TAPtopia hall serving quality craft beer, ales, spirits and cocktails; and various live music performances, this year’s Meatopia is well-worth tucking into.
Vegfest UK
Veggie or vegan? Head to Vegfest UK instead. The 10th annual London Vegfest returns to the Olympia National on the weekend of 18th – 19th November, and it’s set to be the UK’s leading indoor vegan exhibition this year.
The festival will showcase the UK’s finest plant-based producers, with informative discussions led by vegan educators and activists.
What to wear to a food festival
Besides planning which UK food festivals you’ll be attending this year, you’ll also need to spend some time thinking about what to wear. Admittedly, you won’t have to put quite as much thought into your food festival outfits as you would if you were off to the likes of Coachella or Glastonbury Festival, for example.
However, it’s still important to ensure youll be wearing something you’ll feel comfortable in, which will also be suitable for the British climate. And, it pays to wear something that won’t look absolutely awful if you end up spilling food down your front! So, that rules out plain white tees, then…
Top tips on choosing an outfit to wear to a UK food festival
- Don’t wear white. If you’ll be scoffing your face all day, wearing white probably isn’t the best idea – especially if you’ll be drinking too! Opt for a darker shade of clothing or patterned fabric, so any accidental spillages will be less obvious.
- Bring an outfit change. Even if you’re not wearing white or other pale shades, you should still bring a spare change of clothing with you. That way, you can simply get changed if you end up dirtying your clothes with food, or just fancy freshening up.
- Dress for the British weather. When attending any kind of festival in the UK, you’ll need to plan your outfits around the temperamental climate. Pack a light raincoat and/or wellies so you don’t get too wet if it rains, take a jacket you can throw on in the evening when it gets chillier, and bring sunscreen to safeguard your skin during the summer months, for example.
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