Best UK food and drink festivals in 2023

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Taste East Devon

9-24 September: East Devon, England; tasteeastdevon.co.uk

The popular Taste East Devon food festival is returning for the third year running in September. The 16-day celebration will see East Devon’s award-winning venues, producers, chefs and restaurants join forces to celebrate the incredible food and drink on offer across the region.

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Taste of Scilly Festival

15-24 September: Isles of Scilly, England; visitislesofscilly.com

The Isles of Scilly’s annual food and drink festival will feature a jam-packed programme, including a brand new spotlight on cider and ale. 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 fruits of labour from distilleries, vineyards and farms across the archipelago. Chef, author and photographer James Strawbridge, wine connoisseur Oz Clarke and Cornish cookery-school owner Rupert Cooper will headline.

Free From Festival Birmingham

16 September: The Bond, Birmingham, England; eventbrite.co.uk

The UK’s first gluten-free, dairy-free and refined-sugar free food festival is taking place at The Bond in Birmingham on Saturday 16 September. At this unique foodie event, visitors can discover and sample a wide range of delicious products without having to worry about whether you can eat them.

The Great British Food Festival

23-24 September: Arley Hall, Cheshire, England; greatbritishfoodfestival.com

The Great British Food Festival series is held at some of the UK’s most beautiful venues. The final festival in 2023 will be at Arley Hall in Cheshire on 23-24 September.

RHS Gardens Festival of Flavours

September and October: England; rhs.org.uk

Visitors will be able to indulge their senses this autumn at the RHS Gardens’s Festival of Flavours event series. Immerse in a world of delectable aromas, vibrant colours and tantalising tastes with a range of gourmet experiences including food stalls offering international cuisines, expert-led cooking demonstrations from top chefs and workshops in culinary skills. RHS gardens hosting Festival of Flavours events this autumn include:

Festival of Food & Drink

16-17 September: Thoresby Park, Nottinghamshire, England; festivaloffoodanddrink.com

Held at Thoresby Park in Nottinghamshire, the two-day Festival of Food & Drink attracts a superb range of exhibitors and vendors. Head to the Cookery Theatre to watch famous guest chefs, including some from TV favourites such “MasterChef” and “The Great British Bake Off”.

Abergavenny Food Festival

16-17 September: Abergavenny, Wales; abergavennyfoodfestival.com

This September marks the 25th anniversary of the Abergavenny Food Festival – a mainstay of the foodie calendar. More than 150 exhibitors and producers will gather in the centre of the Welsh town and there will be chef demonstrations, talks, debates and family entertainment for visitors to enjoy. The star-studded line-up includes Angela Hartnett and Jeremy Lee.

Future of Food Festival

18-24 September: London, England; regentstreetonline.com

A new week-long festival in Regent Street and St James’s will showcase unique foodie experiences and celebrate the diverse culinary landscape in central London, rooted in sustainability, innovation, and creativity. As many as 23 restaurants will participate across 17 events and activations and Regent Street’s first Urban Farm will be open to the public throughout the month of September. Bookable events throughout the week include on-street feasts taking place on Heddon Street and St James’s, expert-led panel discussions, and one-off ticketed dining events headlined by top chefs.

The Great Bath Feast

22-24 September: Bath, England; greatbathfeast.co.uk

Celebrating the best food and drink in the South West, as well as “taste-sensations from further afield”, The Great Bath Feast will have a “Chef’s Theatre” line-up featuring a host of Bath’s renowned and much-loved food personalities, including Chris Cleghorn, executive head chef of The Olive Tree Restaurant, and Ping Coombes, the 2022 “MasterChef” champion of champions. There’s also an artisan market and street food stalls.

York Food & Drink Festival

22 September-1 October: Parliament Street, York, England; yorkfoodfestival.com

The York Food & Drink Festival is a 10-day event focusing on local chefs and producers, with cookery workshops and a junior chef competition, plus live music and stalls.

Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival

23-24 September: Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England; aldeburghfoodanddrink.co.uk

Held at Snape Maltings, the Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival in Suffolk will highlight the region’s finest producers and feature a street food area, interactive family activities, entertainment, and a strong emphasis on agriculture and food education.

Taste Cumbria Cockermouth

23-24 September: Cockermouth, Cumbria, England; visitallerdale.co.uk

Cockermouth is Taste Cumbria’s flagship festival. There will be a street party, children’s activities, live music and a pop-up restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan.

Discover Rutland Food & Drink Week

23-30 September: Rutland, England; discover-rutland.co.uk

Rutland is known as the “county of good taste” and its upcoming food and drink week offers an opportunity for visitors to discover excellent local suppliers and businesses. Visitors are encouraged to eat their way around the county during the seven-day event, enjoying Rutland Food Week set menus along with various culinary events and festivals. Highlights include Rutland Food & Drink Festival at Market Place and Mill Street (24 September), Oktoberfest 2023 at The Grainstore Brewery (29 September-1 October) and Rutland Grape Grazing Festival at Mallard Point (30 September).

Hull Street Food Nights

28 September: Hull, East Yorkshire, England; visithull.org

Street Food Nights are back in Hull for 2023 and offer a wide range of hot food and drink stalls in an open-air setting. Head to Zebedee’s Yard to enjoy a drink and something to eat with family and friends in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. Free to enter.

The Whisky Show

29 September-1 October: London, England; whiskyshow.com/london 

Presented by The Whisky Exchange, this event at Old Billingsgate in London will see more than 1,000 whiskies and spirits on show. Whisky fans will be able to enjoy tastings, masterclasses, "Dream Drams" and stage demos.

England's Seafood Feast

29 September-15 October: South Devon, England; englishriviera.co.uk

England’s Seafood Feast returns to the English Riviera in beautiful south Devon this autumn. The two-week celebration of seafood will see the towns of Brixham, Paignton and Torquay join forces, giving visitors the chance to experience some of the best seafood in the world. Highlights include seafood set menus and platters, tasting menus, crab-cracking masterclasses and guest chef events.

Fungi Festival at Emmetts Garden

6-29 October: Emmetts Garden, Kent, England; nationaltrust.org.uk

Emmetts Garden in Kent will host a month-long Fungi Festival in October, including talks, tours, cooking demonstrations and a market – all inspired by the weird and wonderful mushroom species found in its grounds. Featuring artisans from across England, the Fungi Fair will kick off the festival showcasing an array of fungi-related produce and goodies including hand-crafted jewellery, charming home decor, ceramics, textiles, toys, and even mushroom growing kits. For fungi fans who want to take a deeper dive, there will also be an exciting programme of expert talks and workshops.

East Midlands Food Festival

7-8 October: Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire England; meltonfestivals.co.uk

The East Midlands Food Festival will be held in the “home of the pork pie” in Melton Mowbray, said Natalie Paris in The Telegraph. It’s a “family-friendly” affair, with plenty of workshops “designed specially for younger visitors”.

Falmouth Oyster Festival

12-15 October: Falmouth, Cornwall, England; falmouthoysterfestival.co.uk

Celebrating the start of the oyster dredging season and devoted to the “mighty mollusc”, the Falmouth Oyster Festival is one of Cornwall’s biggest food events. Highlights include fresh Cornish seafood, music and entertainment, and live cookery demonstrations from Cornwall’s top chefs and food experts.

London Cocktail Week

12-22 October: London, England; londoncocktailweek.com

London Cocktail Week, the world’s biggest cocktail festival, will return in October with a renewed focus for 2023 on the city’s reputation as a global capital of cocktail culture. The 14th annual festival will this year welcome a new “Connoisseur’s Collection” of unique events for the most dedicated enthusiasts, as well as the return of its celebrated curated cocktail tours, offering drinks for £8 across London’s top bars. Wristbands will cost £15 and are valid for the duration of the event.

RumFest

14-15 October: Earls Court, London, England; rumfest.co.uk

The world’s longest running rum festival returns for its 17th year. The two-day event at ILEC Conference Centre in Earls Court, London, will feature more than 400 of the most diverse rums to test and try. There will also be cocktail masterclasses hosted by industry experts, live music and dancing, and delicious Caribbean food stalls.

Llangollen Food Festival

14-15 October: Llangollen, Denbighshire, Wales; llangollenfoodfestival.com

Producers from North Wales and beyond set up stalls at Llangollen Food Festival, which also includes cookery demos and tastings.

Dartmouth Food Festival

20-22 October: Dartmouth, Devon, England; dartmouthfoodfestival.com

The Dartmouth Food Festival is “spread alongside the timbered buildings” of the Devon town’s harbour, said Natalie Paris in The Telegraph. The chefs appearing this year include Mark Hix and Ash Hamilton and most events will be in high demand – the festival attracts nearly 25,000 visitors – so make sure to book your tickets early.

London Wine Festival

7-10 December: London, England; londonwinefestival.org 

Taking place in central London (venue to be confirmed), the capital's three-day wine extravaganza will feature the finest vintages, delicious street food and entertainment.