and the South West
September’s tastiest food and drink festivals
You don’t need wellies or glitter paint to make the most of these festivals. Eat and swig your way through the weekend at some of the UK’s best foodie events.
Salisbury Food and Drink Festival
4–10 September
Market Square, Salisbury
All week, foodies and families in Salisbury will be celebrating the very best of local and regional produce, culminating in the Market Day on Sunday 10 September, giving visitors the opportunity to sample over 80 food and drink stalls. There will also be free food-related activities for children and families, chef demonstrations, street theatre, live music, arts and crafts and more.
Tickets: Free to attend, but bring some cash with you, so you can sample the delicious grub.
The Beavertown Extravaganza
8–9 September
Printworks London
Beavertown Brewery kicked off in 2011 when founder Logan started brewing beer in the kitchen of a BBQ restaurant. By 2015, they were producing ales in some seriously big tanks in a new brewhouse in Tottenham Hale. This event, organized by Beavertown Brewery, brings together the finest brewing talent in the world and will host more than 60 brewers, each serving two taps of beer.
Tickets: £55 all in – includes entry, a glass, all of your beer and access to talks and seminars on the day. We’ve got a hunch this may sell-out soon, so hurry if you’re keen.
Chinese Food Festival
8–10 September
Potters Fields Park, London
The Chinese Food Festival will take place on the South Bank, beside London City Hall and Tower Bridge. Set to serve up delicious dishes, including noodles, seafood, dumplings, crispy spring rolls and more, the Chinese Food Festival is a perfect day out. Chefs will also be demonstrating key Chinese cooking skills in a live masterclass – places are free of charge but need to be reserved at the festival on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tickets: Free to attend, but bring money so you can taste the dishes.
Cocktails in the City
15 September
The Passenger Shed, Bristol
How does sixteen pop-up bars serving specially designed cocktails sound? Yes please. Cocktail lovers can learn about the art of mixology with interactive masterclasses, games and food and drink pairing experiences throughout the evening. If there’s a part of your brain that’s thinking, ‘I’ve not come here to learn, I’ve come here for cocktails’, then that is 100% OK. With an equal mix of tasting tables, blending sessions and unique drinking experiences on offer, this will be a cocktail party to remember. Some of Bristol’s favourite street food vendors will also be there, serving treats for the peckish.
Tickets: £12 each, includes one drink on arrival. Additional cocktails are £6.50 a pop.
Bristol Craft Beer Festival
15-17 September
Motion Skate Park
All hail the artisan ale! Tickets are still available for this hop-based beano, back for its second year at Motion Skate Park, near Bristol Temple Meads. Both bona fide beer geeks and newcomers to the rapidly growing craft scene will enjoy supping from over 200 boldly flavoured brews from 30 independent producers, including locals Left Handed Giant and Wiper and True, plus the best from the rest of the UK, Scandinavia and the States. The event exudes a cool urban vibe so expect a top DJ line-up and stylish street food to accompany the amber nectar.
Tickets: Start at £32 and include all your beer and a glass.
bristolcraftbeerfestival.co.uk
Fiery Foods Festival
16–17 September
Victoria Gardens, Brighton
This is the hottest food festival around. The infamous chilli eating competition will be taking place on both days, where the brave take to the stage to see who can eat the hottest chillies. Yikes! The competition is open to everyone who attends. Expect lots of live music, food and fun for all the family. The National Chilli Awards will also be hosted here, with judges choosing the best from a number of categories, incluing best chilli oil and best chilli jam.
Tickets: Day tickets are £5; weekend tickets are £8.
Great Cornish Food Festival
22–24 September
Lemon Quay, Truro
Count yourself in for delicious days celebrating food and drink produced in Cornwall. From pasties to peanut butter, there will be around 60 exhibitors offering ‘try before you buy’ samples of their scrumptious culinary delights. Throughout the festival there will be demonstrations, masterclasses, live cooking challenges and tastings hosted by chefs across two stages. With an outdoor street food market serving everything from paella to pizza, and tons more, you’ll leave feeling full to the brim.
Tickets: Free entry, but bring money with you so you can eat and drink to your heart’s content.
