We love a good food and drink festival, especially when it’s one that champions local produce.
From the big trade fairs to the smallest beer-and-skittles event there’s something, somewhere that will interest a foodie.
Below is a list of UK Food Festivals. We haven’t been to all of them (wish we could) but it’s a great starting point.
Looking for a UK Christmas market? Check out our recommendations.
If you spot a festival you fancy just follow the link to find out more and if you know of one we’ve missed drop us a line here
Please note: We do not organise festivals ourselves. If you want a stall at an event, please use the links to contact the organisers directly.
Enjoy!
Manchester Beer and Cider Festival
No event planned for early 2023. May have something later in the year.
Exmoor Food Fest
Every year in February a range of restaurants on and around Exmoor offer outstanding food at an affordable price as part of the Exmoor Food Fest. Eat your way across Exmoor!
Pendle Beer Festival, Muni, Colne, Pendle, Lancashire
February 2024 event postponed until later in the year, date tbc. Award-winning beers from the whole of Lancashire.
Olney Pancake Race, Buckinghamshire
The 2024 event is scheduled for Tuesday 13 February. It’s flipping traditional
Winter Festival, Burton-On-Trent
15 – 17 February 2024. CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival, inviting festival lovers to enjoy ‘ales of every season’
Wakefield Rhubarb Festival
16 – 18 February 2024. In the heart of England’s Rhubarb Triangle
Rye Bay Scallop Week
17 – 25 February 2024. It’s about shucking time to go mad for molluscs!
The Cognac Show, Glaziers Hall, London
22 & 23 March 2024. Visitors will have the choice of more than 150 cognacs to sample, including 30 houses and more than 40 different brands.
World Pasty Championships, Eden Project, Cornwall
No contest announced for 2024. Not sure if it will return, so watch this space.
Irish Vegan Festival, Europa Hotel, Belfast
21 April 2024. Stalls, talks and demos on the plant-based way of life.
York Chocolate Festival, Parliament Street, York
5 – 9 April 2023. The annual showcase of the city’s long history or chocolate making.
Egham Beer Festival, Surrey
6 – 8 April 2023. Real ales and ciders plus great music
Great Missenden Food Festival, Chiltern Open Air Museum, Chalfont St Peter, Bucks
7 – 10 April 2023. Chef demos and masterclasses
Chester Food and Drink Festival, Chester Racecourse
8 – 10 April 2023. Foodie festival with a family focus
Porthleven Food Festival
21 – 23 April 2023.Family festival in this Cornish village. Chefs, local food, music and fun.
Bishop Auckland Food Festival, County Durham
22 & 23 April 2023. Street food, celebrity chefs and live music
The World’s Original Marmalade Awards and Festival, Dalemain, Penrith, Cumbria
22 April 2023. Making marmalade and money for good causes
London Coffee Festival, Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane
20 – 23 April 2023. Barista workshops, live latte art demos, roasteries and an Espresso Martini party
Bakewell Food Festival
Festival returns 29 & 30 April 2023. The best of Derbyshire’s local produce.
Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, Scotland
26 April – 1 May 2023. With over 50 distilleries, Speyside has the most malt whisky producers of any region of Scotland
Brighton Foodies Festival, Preston Park
29 April – 1 May 2023. Plenty of chef demos, tasters and live music.
Cheshire Food Festival, Walton Hall, South Warrington
2024 dates tbc. Free entry, cooking demos, street food and live music.
St Ives Food and Drink Festival, Porthminster Beach
2024 dates tbc. Artisan food and drink, cooking demos and live music.
Pub in the Park, Higginson Park, Marlow
18 – 21 May 2023. This is chef Tom Kerridge’s baby, which started small but now boasts events up and down the country all summer
North Leeds Food Festival, Roundhay Park
2024 dates tbc. Street food, demos and artisan markets.
Bristol Foodies Festival, Durdham Downs
12 – 14 May 2023. A celebration of top chefs, tasty food, delicious drinks and live music
Cheese and Chilli Festival, Christchurch
20 & 21 May 2023. Tastings, testings and family entertainment
Southwick Beer Festival, Barn Theatre, West Sussex
27 & 28 May 2023. Beers, ciders and local music.
London Foodies Festival, Syon Park
27 – 29 May 2023. Celebrating the Jubilee weekend with top chefs, delicious drinks and live music
Sheffield Food Festival
26 – 29 May 2023. Showcasing local produce, talented chefs, mouthwatering street food and outstanding brewers and distillers.
Christchurch Food Festival, Christchurch Quay
27 – 29 May 2023. A non-profit making event with a community feel
Foodies Festival, St Albans
2024 dates to follow. Music, chef demos and lots to eat and drink!
Dogstival, Broadlands Park, Romsey
2024 dates to follow. Fun for four-legged friends as well as all the family, including food and drink from across the region.
Fyne Fest, Cairndow, Argyll
2024 dates to follow. A three-day celebration of Scottish food, beer and music at the Fyne Ale brewery estate
Pub in the Park, Dulwich
2024 dates to follow. One of Tom Kerridge’s foodie events.
Towcester Food Festival, Towcester racecourse
2024 dates to follow. Artisan food and drink stalls, chef demos, talks on food and drink, free wine and gin tasting sessions
Taste of London, Regents Park
2024 dates tbc. Celebrate the capital’s culinary scene with five days of feasting
Foodies Festival, Exeter
2024 dates to follow. See Masterchef and Bake Off celebrities cooking live.
Foodies Festival, Chelmsford
2024 dates to follow. Bake-off celebrities, cakes and much, much more
The Taste of Sudbury, St Peter’s & Market Hill, Sudbury
2024 dates to follow. Celebrating, promoting and showcasing local food and drink
Pub in the Park, Reigate
2024 dates to folow. Sing, dance and eat!
Cheltenham Food and Drink Festival, Montpellier Gardens
2024 dates to follow. Food talks, wine tastings and family entertainment.
Pub in the Park, Royal Victoria Park, Bath
2024 dates to follow. Tom Kerridge and his merry band of foodie friends head west.
Bigfoot Festival, Ragley Hall, Warwickshire
2024 event details tbc.
Cheese and Chilli Festival, Swindon
2024 dates to follow. Cooking demos, chilli eating contests and more
Foodies Festival, Chelmsford
2024 dates to follow. Show-stopping cakes, tasty street food, live music and chef demos
Shrewsbury Food Festival, Quarry Park
2024 dates to follow Food, drink, crafts, cookery demos and kids entertainment
Pub in the Park, Leamington Spa
30 June – 2 July 2023. Another Tom Kerridge extravaganza
Tatton Park Foodies Festival, Cheshire
7 – 9 July 2023 Masterchef champions, Bake-off contestants and wine enthusiasts share their expertise. Live music too.
Winchester Foodies Festival, North Walls Recreation Ground
14 – 16 July 2023. Chef demos, drink tastings, live music and street food
Pub in the Park, Tunbridge Wells
7 – 9 July 2023. World-class chefs, Michelin-starred pubs and a selection of other top UK pubs and restaurants serve up their signature dishes
Sussex Gin Festival, Borde Hill Garden, Haywards Heath
8 July 2023. Locally distilled Sussex Gins, hot and cold food, and demonstrations on all things gin-related.
Lymington Seafood Festival, Bath Road Park, Hampshire
14 – 16 July 2023. Three days of fishy fun with live music and street preformers too.
National Geographic Traveller Food Festival, London
15 & 16 July 2023. Taste the world and take part in masterclasses for immersive international experiences.
Cheese and Chilli Festival, Guildford
15 & 16 July 2023. Does exactly what it says!
Great British Food Festival, Knebworth House, Hertfordshire
15 & 16 July 2023. Delectable delights and tasty treats in grand surroundings
Edinburgh Food Festival, George Square Gardens
21 – 30 July 2023. Celebrating the best in Scottish produce from gelato through fish and chips to pickle pie.
Surrey Food Festival, Old Deer Park, Richmond
29 & 30 July 2023. Showcasing a huge array of different cuisines
Foodies Festival, Inverleith Park, Edinburgh
2024 dates tbc. Vintage tea tent, live music and cooking demos
Glasgow Foodies Festival, Rouken Glen Park
2024 dates tbc. Top chefs, tasty food, delicious drinks and live music
London Craft Beer Festival, Tobacco Dock
9 – 10 August 2024. They proudly proclaim ‘We are beer!’ with 90 breweries from around the world taking part
Isle of Wight Garlic Festival, Sandown
17 & 18 August 2024. It’s the island’s biggest summer show. In garlic we trust!
Berwick Food Festival, Berwick-upon-Tweed
2024 dates tbc. Organised by Slow Food Berwick, the festival is held in the town’s 18th century barracks and parade ground.
Pershore Plum Festival, Worcestershire
2024 dates to follow. Celebrating all things plum!
Oxford Foodies Festival, South Parks
2024 dates to follow. On your marks, get set, bake
Burghley Summer Fine Food market, Lincolnshire
2024 dates to follow. Handmade cheeses, artisan coffees, luxury sweet treats and rare breed meats are just a few of the stalls spread over Chestnut Courtyard and Stable Courtyard to allow social distancing and a one-way system.
Meatopia, Tobacco Dock, London
31 August – 3 September 2023. World-class chefs cook some of the world’s greatest dishes over live fires
Steyning Food Festival, various locations in the village, West Sussex
Pick up a guide for details of all events throughout the month, which include artisan bakehouse tours, vintage teas, brewery and winery tours and recipe swaps.
Floral Fringe Fair, Loxwood Meadows, Loxwood , West Sussex
2 & 3 September 2023. Quirky, arty, foodie, plantaholic and wildlife fair. One of our personal favourites, it has a different theme each year.
Stranraer Oyster Festival, Scotland
15 – 17 September 2023. Foodie, fishy and fabulous
Pub in the Park, Chiswick House and Gardens
1 – 3 September 2023. Music, food and festival fun
Clovelly Lobster and Crab Feast, North Devon
3 September 2023. Crab and lobster dishes cooked on the quay.
Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival, Dorset
9 & 10 September 2023. An event with a long history and charitable status.
Norwich Foodies Festival, Earlham Park
8 – 10 September 2023. Cooking demos, top chefs, drinks and live music
Dorset Seafood Festival, Weymouth Harbour
9 & 10 September 2023. The UK’s largest free seafood festival – quite a catch
Hops ‘n’ Harvest Beer Festival, Sandling, near Maidstone, Kent
9 & 10 September 2023. Have a go at hand-picking hops, meet historical characters from Kent’s past and sample up to 50 varieties of locally brewed ales and ciders while absorbing the fantastic live music programme.
Ludlow Food Festival, Shropshire
8 – 10 September 2023. Inside Ludlow Castle with over 180 makers of local food and drink.
Leamington Food Festival, Royal Pump Gardens, Leamington Spa
9 & 10 September 2023. A weekend of FREE foodie fun
Manchester Food and Drink Festival, Albert Square
22 September – 2 October 2023. Wine, food and song.
Abergavenny Food Festival, Gwent
16 & 17 September 2023. Product tastings, kids’ activities, masterclasses, hands-on cookery lessons and topical debates
Mold Food and Drink Festival, New Street, Flintshire
16 & 17 September 2023. Local Welsh chefs, live music and cookery demos
Scottish Wild Food Festival, Tir Na Nog
16 & 17 September 2023. The festival encourages you to step outdoors and discover local wild food
Great British Food Festival, Arley Hall, Cheshire
23 & 24 September 2023. Food, drink and music
AbbFest, Newton Abbot, Devon
14 – 17 September 2023. A charity food, beer and music festival
Ginger and Spice Festival, Market Drayton
30 September 2023. Based in the spiritual home of gingerbread, this Shropshire market town is famous for its culinary links to the old eastern spice routes thanks to Clive of India.
Apple Day, Clovelly
24 September 2023. Apple pressing, farmers’ market, harvest hunt and chef demonstrations
Thame Food Festival
30 September & 1 October 2023. Run by a not-for-profit organisation, it promises demos, pop-ups, a gin garden and live music.
Narberth Food Festival, Town Moor, Narberth, Wales
23 & 24 September 2023. A non-profit-making event run by the local community with guest chefs, workshops, entertainment and activities for children.
English Seafood Feast, Devon
29 September – 15 October 2023. Eat some of the best seafood in the world and experience the English Riviera.
Neath Food Festival, Port Talbot, South Wales
6 & 7 October 2023. High quality Welsh produce and award-winning suppliers in the town
Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival, Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham
11 – 14 October 2023. Over 700 beers on sale.
Falmouth Oyster Festival, Cornwall
12 – 15 October 2023. One of Cornwall’s biggest and best loved specialist food festivals which celebrates the start of the oyster dredging season. Feasting, cooking demos, live music and food and craft stalls
Wells Food Festival, Somerset
8 October 2023. Free entry to over 150 producers and food stalls in this event run by volunteers.
Llangollen Food and Drink Festival, Wales
14 & 15 October 2023. Cookery workshops featuring local producers.
Vegan Life Live, Alexandra Palace, London
18 – 20 October 2024. Embrace plant-based living
Dartmouth Food Festival, Devon
20 – 22 October 2023. A free festival of food
Savour Kilkenny Festival of Food, Kilkenny, Ireland
27 – 30 October 2023. Take a truly terrific culinary journey.
Teddington Beer Festival, Landmark Arts Centre, Ferry Road
2 – 4 November 2023. Live music and beer.
Bristol Christmas Market
3 November – 23 December 2023. Wooden chalets offering a selection of gifts as well as festive food and drink.
Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market
17 November – 17 December 2023. Showcasing the best of local and continental food, drinks, gifts, and crafts.
Christmas Fair, York Racecourse
9 – 12 November 2023. Yorkshire’s biggest shopping and social event of the season with artisan food producers, designer-makers and retailers for a fun and festive day out, packed with seasonal inspiration.
Cardiff Christmas Market
9 November – 23 December 2023. Promising original and hand-made products.
York Christmas Fair
18 November – 23 December 2023. Handmade gifts and delicious treats.
Winter Fair, South of England Showground, Sussex
18 & 19 November 2023. Independent local traders offering mouth-watering gin liqueurs, homemade jams, cheese, chocolate and wine.
Clovelly Herring Festival, Devon
19 November 2023. Celebrating the tasty, nutritious Silver Darlings and supporting carefully managed fishing
Bath Christmas Market
23 November – 10 December 2023. Stalls, illuminations and attractions spread across the city’s historic streets.
Bristol Christmas Market
Until 23 December 2023. Wooden chalets offering a selection of gifts as well as festive food and drink.
Horsham Christmas Markets
Every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday in December, plus Friday 22 December 2023.
Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market
Until 17 December 2023. Showcasing the best of local and continental food, drinks, gifts, and crafts.
St Nicholas Christmas Market, The Shambles, York
Until 22 December 2023. Soak up the city’s medieval charm and scents of spiced mulled wine
Cardiff Christmas Market
Until 23 December 2023, Original and hand-made products.