The UK's best food and drink festivals in 2024

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Foodies Festival

May to September 2024: UK-wide; foodiesfestival.com

The Foodies Festival series will see 14 events take place across the UK, starting in Brighton in early May and finishing in Norwich in September, with highlights including Michelin-starred chefs and "MasterChef" winners, plus live music. 

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• 10-12 May: Cardiff 
• 25-27 May: Syon Park, London 
• 31 May-2 June: St Albans 
• 7-9 June: Bath 
• 21-23 June: Chelmsford 
• 5-7 July: Tunbridge Wells 
• 12-14 July: Tatton Park 
• 19-21 July: Winchester 
• 2-4 August: Edinburgh 
• 9-11 August: Glasgow 
• 24-26 August: Oxford 
• 30 August-1 September: Guildford 
• 6-8 September: Norwich

The Great British Food Festival

May to September 2024: UK-wide; greatbritishfoodfestival.com 

The Great British Food Festival has events taking place nationwide in its 2024 summer series, throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

• 25-27 May: Harewood House, Leeds 
• 31 May-2 June: Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire 
• 15-16 June: Dalkeith Country Park, Edinburgh
• 22-23 June: Ashridge House, Hertfordshire
• 29-30 June: Dinton Pastures, Berkshire 
• 20-21 July: Knebworth House, Hertfordshire
• 10-11 August: Lydiard Park, Wiltshire
• 17-18 August: Wentworth Woodhouse, Yorkshire 
• 7-8 September: Margam Park, South Wales 
• 21-22 September: Arley Hall, Cheshire

The North Leeds Food Festival

11-12 May 2024: Roundhay Park, Leeds; northleedsfoodfestival.co.uk 

Held in Roundhay Park, this festival features international street food, chef demos, live music, fine artisan markets, and children's entertainment.

Laithwaites Wine Festival

17-18 May 2024: Earls Court, London; laithwaites.co.uk

Sample over 350 wines, chat to more than 100 producers from 17 countries and join expert-led tastings, or go for the optional upgrade to access top-tier wines including Champagne and dessert wines.

Pub in the Park

May to September 2024: England-wide; pubintheparkuk.com 

Founded by chef Tom Kerridge, Pub in the Park will head to four locations in 2024: Marlow, Chiswick, Reigate and St Albans. Each festival celebrates "everything about the glorious British pub" and features delicious food, award-winning chefs, chart-topping music and great drinks.

• 16-19 May: Marlow, Buckinghamshire
• 28-30 June: Chiswick, London
• 12-14 July: Reigate, Surrey 
• 6-8 September: St Albans, Hertfordshire

The Eat & Drink Festival Scotland

24-27 May 2024: SEC Glasgow; idealhomeshowscotland.co.uk 

With hundreds of exhibitors to choose from, there's something for all foodies at the Eat & Drink Festival held at SEC Glasgow. Highlights include the Eat & Drink Stage, The Great Eat, and the artisan producers' market.

Blenheim Palace Food Festival

25-27 May 2024: Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire; blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/food-festival/

Sample delicious produce from local and national stallholders, plus craft beers and cocktails, and watch live demonstrations and Q&As from celebrity chefs and culinary experts. Children can pick up circus skills, too.

London Restaurant Festival

June 2024: London; londonrestaurantfestival.com 

The summer edition of the London Restaurant Festival will feature more than 50 culinary experiences, neighbourhood nights and masterclasses.

Taste of London

12-16 June 2024: Regent’s Park, London; london.tastefestivals.com

Billed as a "food-fuelled garden party", ToL is in its 20th year, bringing together epic London restaurants, artisan producers and entertainment, a line-up that attracts around 55,000 visitors. 

Norwich Wine Week Festival

14-16 June 2024: Norwich, Norfolk; norwichwineweek.co.uk 

Following its successful debut in 2023, Norwich Wine Week Festival is back in 2024 and will showcase the region's award-winning vineyards, growers and wineries, with curated tastings, plus great food and live music.

Taste of East Anglia

15 June 2024: Kentwell Hall, Long Melford, Suffolk; tasteofeastanglia.co.uk 

Previously called Taste of Sudbury, this annual event returns to the grounds of Kentwell Hall, Suffolk, in June. Showcasing the very best producers, restaurants and chefs from the region, there will also be more than 70 local artisan producers as well as street food, bars and a DJ. 

Harrogate Food & Drink Festival

29-30 June 2024: The Stray, Harrogate, North Yorkshire; harrogatefoodfestival.com 

There are two dates for the Harrogate Food & Drink Festival in summer 2024. This is the first, taking place at The Stray in central Harrogate, and features street food, chef demos, a market street, and entertainment. 

Shrewsbury Food Festival

29-30 June 2024: Shrewsbury, Shropshire; shropshirefestivals.co.uk

Shrewsbury's food festival brings together independent producers, quality street food vendors, top chefs, local brewers, and distillers. There's also live music and a kids' area.

The Whisky Exchange Rum Show

5-6 July 2024: Glaziers Hall, London; therumshow.com

Presented by The Whisky Exchange, this two-day festival at Glaziers Hall in London will feature hundreds of rums to sample, as well as masterclasses, cocktails and a main stage.

Swindon Cheese and Chilli Festival

6-7 July 2024: Swindon, Wiltshire; cheeseandchillifestival.com 

The sixth edition of Swindon's Cheese and Chilli Festival will spice up the summer. Take part in a chilli-eating competition and enjoy cooking demonstrations and fiery treats while browsing stalls selling local and regional products. 

Yorkshire Dales Food & Drink Festival

19-21 July: Funkirk Farm, Skipton, North Yorkshire; yorkshiredalesfoodanddrinkfestival.com 

This popular family-friendly festival in the Yorkshire Dales will welcome a number of headline chefs including James Martin and Si King of The Hairy Bikers. The event also features live cookery demonstrations, street food vendors and entertainment.  

Smoke and Fire

20-21 July 2024: Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire; smokeandfirefestival.com

This is the UK's largest barbecue festival experience in its first hot-ticket event of the summer, blending family fun and gourmet barbecue cooking from the US, plus award-winning street food, live demos of cooking on the coals, and cool kit to buy.

Rock Oyster Festival

25-28 July 2024: Dinham House, north Cornwall; rockoysterfestival.co.uk 

This food and music festival on the banks of the Camel Estuary has a jam-packed menu of live acts, chef demos, open fire cooking and pop-up restaurants. Musical headliners for 2024 include Sugababes and The Human League.

Three Counties Food and Drink Festival

27-28 July: Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire; threecountiesfoodfestival.com 

Launched in 2023, the Three Counties Food and Drink Festival will again celebrate producers from Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. Visitors can enjoy live cookery theatre from special guest TV chefs and treat themselves to handmade crafts and homewares at the market stalls.

New Forest Food Festival

17-18 August 2024: New Forest, Hampshire; newforestfoodfestival.co.uk 

The first ever New Forest Food Festival will showcase a mix of local products and internationally-renowned chefs and restaurants.

Isle of Wight Garlic Festival

17-18 August: Isle of Wight; garlicfestival.co.uk 

The Isle of Wight's popular festival celebrates garlic and garlic-flavoured produce. A firm favourite of the island's summer season since 1983, it hosts celebrity chef demonstrations, live bands and kids' shows.

Smoke and Fire

17-18 August 2024: Maldon, Essex; smokeandfirefestival.com

The second of this barbecue hot-ticket event of the summer. Highlights to watch include the Great British Open Freestyle BBQ Championships, plus international pitmasters and fire cooks. Tuck in to food fresh off the grill from award-winning street food traders, savour local brews and cool cocktails, or take on a chilli or hot wing eating challenge. There's live music on stage and a dedicated Kids Zone too.

East Anglian Beer & Cider Festival

21-26 August 2024: St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Suffolk; burystedmundsbeerfestival.com

The 32nd East Anglian Beer & Cider Festival will be held in St Edmundsbury Cathedral, with more than 250 real ales, 40 ciders and food stalls on show. 

The Big Feastival

23-25 August 2024: Alex James' Farm, Kingham, Oxfordshire; thebigfeastival.com 

Held over the August bank holiday weekend at the farm owned by Alex James, bassist of Blur, the Big Feastival is a fusion of great food and great music. As well as a number of musical headliners, including Snow Patrol and Becky Hill, there will also be a line-up of chefs cooking up a storm in the Cotswolds.

Harrogate Food & Drink Festival

24-26 August 2024: Ripley Castle, North Yorkshire; harrogatefoodfestival.com 

The second iteration of the Harrogate Food & Drink Festival will be held at Ripley Castle. Attractions include street food, chef demos, a market street, and entertainment. 

Meatopia London

29 August-1 September 2024: Shadwell, London; meatopia.co.uk 

The festival for lovers of fire cooking, Meatopia London celebrates its 11th anniversary in 2024. The line-up at Tobacco Dock will feature more than 100 chefs, demos, talks and exclusive dishes cooked over sustainably sourced wood and charcoal. 

The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show

6-8 September 2024: London; whiskyshow.com 

Presented by The Whisky Exchange, this event at Old Billingsgate in London, now in its 16th year, will see more than 1,000 whiskies and spirits from around the world on show. Whisky fans will be able to enjoy tastings, masterclasses, "dream drams" and stage demos.

Taste of Scilly Festival

12-22 September 2024: Isles of Scilly; visitislesofscilly.com 

The Isles of Scilly's annual food and drink event has a jam-packed programme. Running for 10 days, the festival spans all five inhabited islands and will champion the best in island-grown produce, fresh shellfish from the surrounding waters and the best from distilleries, vineyards and farms across the archipelago. 

Ludlow Food Festival

13-15 September 2024: Ludlow Castle, Shropshire; ludlowfoodfestival.co.uk 

Celebrating its 30th year, Ludlow's food festival attracts around 15,000 visitors each year, with more than 100 local exhibitors from Shropshire highlighting their artisan products. Expect a variety of workshops, demonstrations and tastings.

Abergavenny Food Festival

21-22 September 2024: Abergavenny, Monmouthshire; abergavennyfoodfestival.com

Abergavenny's food festival is one of the most popular events on the culinary calendar. As well as exhibitors and producers, there will also be chef demonstrations, talks, debates and family entertainment for visitors to enjoy.

Festival of Food and Drink

21-22 September 2024: Thoresby Park, Nottinghamshire; festivaloffoodanddrink.com 

Held at Thoresby Park in Nottinghamshire, the two-day Festival of Food and Drink attracts a superb range of exhibitors and vendors. Head to the "Cookery Theatre" to watch famous guest chefs.

England's Seafood Feast

27 September-13 October 2024: Brixham, Paignton and Torquay, Devon; englishriviera.co.uk/whats-on/featured-events/seafood-feast 

It's not a conventional festival in one location, but a two-week celebration of locally landed and caught fish and seafood taking place at over 30 eateries across Brixham, Paignton and Torquay.  

Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival

28-29 September 2024: Aldeburgh, Suffolk; aldeburghfoodanddrink.co.uk

The Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival in Suffolk highlights the region's finest producers and features a street food area, interactive family activities, entertainment, and a strong emphasis on agriculture and food education.

London Cocktail Week

3-13 October 2024: London; londoncocktailweek.com 

The world's biggest cocktail festival returns in October with unique events and its celebrated "Curated Cocktail Tours", offering drinks for £8 across London's top bars.

East Midlands Food Festival

5-6 October 2024: Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire; meltonfestivals.co.uk

Held in the home of the pork pie, Melton Mowbray, the East Midlands Food Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2024. The event is known for its artisan producers of pies, of course, and also cheese, charcuterie and chocolate.

RumFest

12-13 October 2024: Earls Court, London; rumfest.co.uk

The world's longest-running rum festival returns to the @ILEC Conference Centre in Earls Court, London. The two-day event will feature hundreds of rums to test and try, cocktail masterclasses hosted by industry experts, live music and food stalls. 

Dartmouth Food Festival

25-27 October 2024: Dartmouth, Devon; dartmouthfoodfestival.com 

An autumn highlight is the free-to-attend Dartmouth Food Festival, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2024. Visitors to the riverside town can enjoy workshops, masterclasses, tasting events and wine seminars.