We’ve picked our favourite food festivals for each month of the year so members can sample the best that the seasons have to offer. We can arrange regular deliveries of fresh produce from independent, local and artisan producers. Talk to your lifestyle manager to find out what's best to eat this month.
Exeter Festival of South West Food and Drink
Friday 13 to Saturday 15 April
Billed as the ‘ultimate foodie event’, this weekend festival is held in the courtyard of Exeter Castle and the surrounding Northernhay Gardens. Highlights include the Cookery Theatre with live demonstrations and tastings, a Grow Your Own area with a miniature show garden, and the After Dark Party featuring regional ales and ciders and live music from the area’s best bands.
British Asparagus Festival
Monday 23 April to Thursday 21 June
The English asparagus season is short lived, with only a couple of months in which to enjoy these tender spears while they’re at their best. The Vale of Evesham is, however, making the most of it with a full calendar of events throughout the season, starting with the Great English Asparagus Run on St George’s Day.
English Wine Week
Saturday 2 to Sunday 10 June
English wine didn’t always have the reputation it has today, but thanks to some innovative farming techniques the sparkling variety has won a series of international awards in recent years. There are events held throughout the country offering tastings, tours and special menus.
Taste of London
Thursday 21 to Sunday 24 June
This is the biggest date in the UK gourmand’s calendar – it draws the best of London’s chefs and restaurants, who create tasters of their world-class menus for guests to try.
Whitstable Oyster Festival
Saturday 21 to Friday 27 July
This traditional – and somewhat eccentric – bash starts with the ceremonial ‘Landing of the Oysters’, followed by the cacophonous Oyster Parade which celebrates the long history between this seaside town and the ocean’s aphrodisiac. Whitstable’s famed natives aren’t in season until September, but there are plenty of local rock oysters, fish and ales to enjoy by the harbour.
Isle of Wight Garlic Festival
Saturday 18 to Sunday 19 August
Where in the world could you taste garlic butter, garlic beer, garlic ice cream and garlic baby food? The answer is the Isle of Wight Garlic Festival, challenging preconceptions about how to eat this pungent bulb. If you get the chance, try the black variety with its molasses flavour and jelly texture – it’s normal garlic which has been fermented using a secret process.
Harvest at Jimmy’s
Friday 7 to Sunday 9 September
Farmer and TV personality Jimmy Doherty opens up his Suffolk home for three days of music and food. With something for the whole family, last year’s event featured performances of The Gruffalo, live music from The Kooks and Eliza Doolittle and cookery masterclasses from James Martin and Richard Corrigan. There are also yoga workshops, nature walks and a petting zoo. Camping tickets are available.
Alnwick Food Festival
Friday 21 to Sunday 23 September
Alnwick was described by Country Life as the best place to live in Britain, and the food festival is certainly part of its charm. Held in the town’s medieval marketplace, it offers hearty local grub and small-town attractions including Morris dancers and fire-eaters.
Hereford Festival
Saturday 27 to Sunday 28 October
Last year Jean Christophe Novelli, the French Michelin-starred chef, performed a number of live cooking demonstrations here. The festival also offers farmers and food producers the opportunity to showcase their goods, from smelly cheeses to homemade jams, with the chance to win a prestigious Flavours of Herefordshire award.
Clovelly Herring Festival
Sunday 18 November
There’s shanty singing, smoked kippers and bloaters and local cider at this annual North Devon event. The historic village’s cobbled streets and whitewashed cottages cling to a steep 400-foot high cliff, offering sweeping views of the Bristol Channel.
Taste of Christmas
Friday 30 November to Sunday 2 December
End the year by stocking up for yuletide with artisan whiskies, speciality meats, potted stiltons and fine wines at ExCeL London’s vast seasonal food show. It also features stalls from some of the capital’s best restaurants. Call us to book tickets.
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