With its world renowned produce and popular local markets South Wales is never short of good food, and this month that’s something worth celebrating. This September brings with it a plate full of food and drink festivals, James de Gruyther explores which ones to sink your teeth into.
ST FAGANS FOOD FESTIVAL
National History Museum, St Fagans
Sat 7 & Sun 8 Sept
Hop on down to St Fagans this month to indulge both your love of history and of having your taste buds pampered. The museum will be throwing open its doors to allow you to sample both cutting-edge cuisine and a healthy dollop of traditional Welsh foods (to make all feel at home). Experience the historic exhibitions whilst enjoying a diverse array of foods. From Balearic Spanish buffets to artisan sorbets and ice-creams, there will be something there to entice those with even the ficklest of fancies. What’s more, it’s absolutely free.
Admission: free. Info: 029 2057 3500 / www.museumwales.ac.uk
WELSH TAPAS FESTIVAL
King Street, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire
Sat 7 & Sun 8 Sept
For those foodies who prefer their festivals to be more than the standard affair, then this festival is definitely for you. The focus here is obviously tapas, with a group of rotating in-house chefs all competing against each other to be the best and fastest tapas hand in the wild west (south west Wales, at least). With each of their dishes being scored by you the public, each chef is then judged in their own special award ceremony. Using solely Welsh produce, this is a perfect mixture of Welsh and Spanish culture. Add to this the music festival atmosphere throughout the town, this festival guarantees a unique experience.
Admission: free. Info: www.ffres.org
LUDLOW MARCHES FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL
Ludlow, Shropshire
Fri 13-Sun 15 Sept
The historic town of Ludlow, affectionately nick-named ‘The Food Town’, is a place that is no stranger to good grub. With Ludlow Castle providing the stage for more than 160 local producers, the Ludlow Marches Food And Drink Festival is the annual culmination of the towns gastronomic knowledge. The festival, however, is not restricted to the castle’s walls and you can explore town through its foodie trails. The Sausage Trail is one of the most popular choices, where participants can wander around Ludlow’s butchers’ shops, trying out tasty treats and vote for their favourite new sausage recipe.
Admission: free. Info: 01584 875053 / www.foodfestival.co.uk
ABERYSTWYTH FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL
Baker Street, Aberystwyth
Sat 21 Sep
Back for its 12th event to date, this festival is a showcase of the best local produce that Wales has to offer, whilst also giving a selection of excellent produce from the wider world. Holding useful demonstrations in basic home cooking, there is a strong concentration on teaching youngsters the importance of preparing food themselves and of using quality local produce. With over 50 producers attending there will be no shortage of variety, which as we know is the spice of life.
Admission: free. Info 01970 633066 / www.walesthetruetaste.co.uk
TRETOWER APPLE FESTIVAL
Tretower Court And Castle, Powys
Sat 21 & Sun 22 Sept
Tretower once again welcomes back the Tretower Apple Festival, where a mind-frazzling variety of apples will be available to sample – certain to keep apple fans happy as pie. Couple this with the fact that resident apple experts will be at hand to talk you through some of the finer fruits there, and you’ve got a must-see for fruit connoisseurs everywhere. And for those who prefer their apples in a more drinkable form, why not try the excellent local ciders. Bee keeping and Morris dancing are of course an added bonus.
Tickets: from £3.60. Info: 01874 730279 / www.cadw.wales.gov.uk
LITTLE WELSH NIBBLE
Rhondda Heritage Park, Vale Of Glamorgan
Sun 22 Sept
This lesser-known festival is one that has a environmental aim as well as an edible one. The Little Welsh Nibble, also known as the Sustainable Food Free Festival, tries to keep a focus on low-cost, low-carbon, sustainable food. Among the exciting markets, fun films and live music is also a series of talks and demonstrations aimed at educating people about environmentally friendly eating.
Admission: free. Info: 0144340231 / www.rctcbc.gov.uk
BRIDGEND FEASTIVAL
Bridgend Town Centre
Fri 27 & Sat 28 Sept
Boasting more than just a pun-tastic name, this family friendly event welcomes all lovers of locally produced foods – all offered up from a hustling barrage of colourful street stalls. This balmy festival is known for its off the wall entertainment and surreal food sculptures. Just to put that into perspective, last year they had a 6ft orang-utan swinging between cauliflower trees, and this year sees children being given the chance to design and build a spaghetti bridge. All this madness is wrapped up in a welcoming parcel of food tasting and live music.
Admission: free. Info: www.bridgendfeastival.com
NARBERTH FOOD FESTIVAL
Narberth, Pembrokeshire
Sat 28 & Sun 29 Sept
This warm and welcoming community festival is completely run by volunteers, ensuring that everyone you meet is passionate about the local produce they provide. Given a gold for best event and silver for best disabled access in the Pembrokeshire Tourism Awards this year, this intimate festival is rife with both character and flavour. It also holds host to a variety of interesting talks for all you foodies out there, not to mention free cooking demonstrations and a quality showcase of some of the best live music that South Wales has to offer.
Tickets: from £2.50. Info: 01834 860084 / www.narberthfoodfestival.com
NEATH FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL
Neath Town Centre
Fri 4 & Sat 5 Oct
What’s better than a food festival? Why, one that lets you get slightly squiffy of course. Showcasing all the best that locally sourced produce has to offer, you’ll be seeing a vast array of food stalls outside Neath’s very own Victorian market. Now in its fifth year, soak up the historic atmosphere whilst savouring samples of the freshest produce, ranging from seafood, goats’ milk ice cream and long horn beef. There’s also the Vintage Baking And Produce Competition for all you cooking aficionados out there.
Admission: free. Info 01639 686413 / www.npt.gov.uk
COWBRIDGE FOOD FESTIVAL
Cowbridge
Sat 26 & Sun 27 Oct
Since its founding in 2004, this bustling and active festival has more than doubled in size, with a whopping eighty exhibitions and more than 15,000 visitors. Having won the National Tourism Award for Best Community Event in 2010, it’s not hard to see why. With a smorgasbord of food demonstrations and local food stalls, there’s plenty to do. Highlights include the dedicated wine & cheese marquee and a champagne tent for those of us wanting something even stronger than an extra mature cheddar. No foodie’s schedule is complete without.
Tickets: TBC. Info: www.cowbridgefoodanddrink.org
Photo: jeffreyW