Over the last 20 years, Abergavenny Food Festival has grown to become the largest annual food festival in Wales. Each year, the event attracts chefs, food businesses, journalists, farmers and food producers from all over the UK for a jam-packed weekend of activities, festivities, chef demos, supper clubs and more.
The festival prides itself on transforming the way people think about food; challenging and promoting new ideas, pushing the boundaries and encouraging people to really consider where their food comes from. Last year I visited for the first time, and loved seeing how the festival takes over the entire market town, with different events all taking place in separate areas around the centre. These range from producer stalls and street-food markets, to demonstration tents and pop-up cookery schools.
This year’s festival line-up
The best thing about the Abergavenny food festival is just how many of the talks and debates on offer are included in the cost of a general admission wrist-band. Last year I was lucky enough to enjoy free talks from Zoe Adjonyo (Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen), Jan Ostle (Wilsons) and Tom Hunt, (Poco),as well as a round-table discussion between UCL food policy professor Tim Lang, Psychotherapist and farmer Ruth Tudor, and Martha Roberts; a small-scale producer of free-range, rare-breed pork. It was fascinating to hear the panel debate their opinions on whether eating meat was a necessity, a right or a privilege.
This year, the line up of ‘free’ chef demos (included with a general admission wristband) includes Masterchef finalist Imran Nathoo, Sam & Shauna from Hangfire BBQ, and a ‘seafood and booze demo’ with Bristol Lido chef Freddy Bird and TV chef Matt Tebbutt which sounds right up my street. To see the full 2018 chef demo line up, click here.
Apart from the free events, I am also really excited about this year’s line up of paid-for events, including critic and food writer Grace Dent’s talk, Riverford Organic’s pop-up, and the huge Welsh feast from Wrights Food Emporium on Sunday 16th September. Philip Lymbery of Compassion in World Farming is also giving a talk about dairy milk alternatives, and how choosing to avoid cows milk in favour of plant / nut milk might create a whole other set of environmental problems – I am really keen to go to this one as it can be so hard to know what to do for the best sometimes!
Other highlights of Welsh produce and talent at this year’s festival include a Welsh Sunday lunch with Wright’s Food Emporium and chef forager Matt Powell,a salt & caramel tasting workshop with Halen Mon, and Welsh lamb with James Sommerin. Also, look out for the Welsh dragon sign on stalls in the Markets selling produce from and made in Wales.
WIN! Two tickets to Abergavenny 2018
If you like the sound of Abergavenny, how about winning 2 x general admission wristbands for this year’s festival (worth £28)? The festival organisers are also throwing in 2 x tickets to Saturday’s talk ‘100 years of women in food‘ (worth £15) – making the whole prize package worth a cool £43.
This competition is now closed and the winner has been contacted.
Like you I visited for the first time last year too and loved it! Highlights were Tom Kerridge, a food photography masterclass and someone I’ve grown up with … Darina Allen.
I’d bring my lovely husband Matt; he did an oyster shucking masterclass and loved it!
Author
Oh oyster shucking class sounds fun! 😀
I would love to take my Mum. Would book an overnight stay too to make the most of the experience. I enjoyed reading your Madrid blog and as recommended visited Mercado San Miguel. OMG, I loved it and am sure this experience would be the same. As a WI member I am interested in the talk too 😊
Author
That’s so nice to hear – really glad you enjoyed the market, I tell everyone to go! Thanks for letting me know 🙂 x
Oooh. . I would bring my husband with me!
Author
Lucky hubby 😉
I’d take my best friend – he’s a massive foodie but has never been to Abergavenny Food Festival. I’ve been promising to take him for years so this would be perfect!
Author
He will love it, I always say to people it’s like foodie Disneyland, haha! x
I would bring my 5 year old daughter Evie as she is really getting into food. She watches me and helps in the kitchen any chance she gets and at this young age has so much interest and a great palette already.
Author
Sounds like you’re raising a little chef 🙂
I’d bring my sister Rachel, we always go together. x
Author
That’s nice 🙂 xx
I’d love to take my foodie husband along as he’s always wanted to go to teh festival and share his love of Welsh food.
Author
Nice 🙂 x
I would love to take my mum as I think it would be a fantastic way to celebrate her 60th birthday 🎂
Author
Fingers crossed! xx
My boyfriend was born and raised in Abergavenny, he’s never been but has been promising me for the past 3 years that we’ll go…. I’m still waiting 😂
Author
Oh he’d love it! It completely takes over the town 🙂
I would take my boyfriend with me. We visited last year for the first time as well and had an amazing time. Defienetly visiting this year too.
Author
It’s great isn’t it, I loved the talks. x
Oh I love so love to attend! I would definitely be bringing my little girl who loves food as much as me 🖤
Author
Sounds like you’re raising a good one 😉 x
Exciting! I would bring my OH, neither of us have been before.
Author
You’d love it Rosie! x
I would take my sister – she’s a fabulous mummy and always deserves a day off! we both like sweet treats so would prob head straight for the cake!
Author
Haha! 🙂
I would bring my partner. He’s a potter and I’m a herb and salad grower, so we’re a foodie partnership!
Author
oh, very cool! 🙂
I would take my partner Dan. We are moving in to a new house in a couple of weeks and this is a perfect opportunity to stock up on nice foodie bits ready for autumn weekends in.
Author
Great plan! 😀 x
I would bring my Husband Herb as part of our holiday from Australia to finally see, live, taste & breath the Welsh culture home of my ancestors!
Author
Wait – are you the same couple who were exploring Canton and the Lansdowne pub the other day? 😀
I would bring my partner , John, who is a great foodie. We would wander round the stalls and sample as many foodstuffs we could. We would watch the chef demonstrations and be inspired to try different things. We would bring loads of shopping bags and go home laden with produce, leaflets and memories of a fantastic day.
Author
I love going home with bagfuls of treats, too!
I would bring my husband, as he enjoys going to the food festival. We love tasting the food, the smells that wizz pass your nose. The atmosphere about the place is wonderful. xx
Author
It definitely is! 🙂
I know my mum would love to celebrate and experience this amazing festival
Author
🙂
I’d take my uni pal and our babies Ellie Tole
Author
Good luck! x
I would take my hubby as he works nights and I work days so it would be lovely to do something together and would save me cooking!
Author
Good luck Andrea 🙂
I’d bring my wife and dining partner, Louisa. Hopefully see you there. 🤞🏼
Author
Good luck Sam! x
I’d love to bring my wifey along, she loves all things food related, lovely day out – making memorys!
Author
🙂
Great prize Jane! I would have to take Jamie with me and find a babysitter so we could make a proper day of it xx
Author
Lush – definitely worth a baby sitter! 😉 x
I would love to bring my daughter to inspire her with wonderful food and being an amazing female
Author
Good plan 😉
I’d take one of my oldest school friends who has her birthday in September and is also a big foodie. We’re already in the process of organising babysitters so we can both really relax and enjoy the day come rain or shine! Winning free tickets would be the icing on the cake*
* Many cakes, oo and cheese and sausages and…
Author
hahaha!
I’d take my fella and between us we’d see off all the cider, cake and cheese!
Author
Excellent plan! 🙂
We visited last year for the first time and loved it – a great vibe. Both me and my partner love food and cooking and finding out about exciting new ingredients and flavours – we would bring eachother.
Author
Lovely 🙂 Thanks for entering!
I would bring my husband with me!
Author
Very kind 🙂 x
I would bring Mr G & Baby G (hoping she wouldn’t need a pass). She will be started food next week so hopefully by the festival she will be ready to try lots!
Author
Ahhh baby G would love it! 😀 x
I would take my Best Friend for her 27th Birthday!
Author
Oooh good shout!
Peter
Author
🙂
I would take my boyfriend along as we have never been before and as avid foodies we would both love to go! X
Author
Oh you’d love it! x
Me and my wife (girlfriend at the time) visited the festival many years ago and loved it. We haven’t been able to make it back for various reasons, would be great to win the tickets and suprise her with a visit.
Author
Cute! Thanks for entering 🙂
I’d bring along my husband as he’s a great foodie!
I’d love to take my boy friend. We’ve never been before but heard so many amazing stories! We’ve made it our aim to go to as many food festivals as we can this summer and we’re definitely adding this one to thew list! 🙂 xx
I’d bring my wife along. Abergavenny is a lovely town. Delicious food is a bonus!
I’d bring my other half Lewis 🙂 We only live 30 mins away so what a perfect comp 🙂
I’d bring my bestie – we both love food and are always up for a road trip from the Diff
I’d love to bring along my fiance! The weekend of Abergavenny Food Festival will be the anniversary of when we got engaged a year ago. He now lives in London, so I only get to spend weekends with him, and what better way to russell up some romance than eating good food with the one you love.