Shrewsbury Food Festival is taking place this weekend, showcasing the great tastes of Shropshire and beyond.
The festival is taking place in Shrewsbury’s Quarry Park and at various locations around the town as 200 exhibitors provide artisan food and drink alongside craft stalls.
Featuring a hot food court, artisan bars and celebrity chef demonstrations organisers have found a recipe for success. The event sold out in its first and second year and is on course to do the same this summer. Last year 20,000 people flocked to the park and 2015 is set to attract similar numbers.
Beth Heath, chief executive of the food festival, said: “We will have the county’s best artisan producers and craftspeople displaying their wares with plenty of samples on offer for all to try. Great local chefs including Marcus Bean and Will Holland will be demonstrating their skills on the Wenlock Spring stage, and a safari of local restaurants will be taking place, together with ‘foodie’ fun and entertainment for the whole family.
“We’ve gone from a standing start to being part of the town’s annual calendar in the space of two years and we’re grateful to the people who helped us to make that happen.”
Shropshire’s leading independent furniture store Alan Ward have this year sponsored the bursary tent which will be promoting eight fledgling businesses. The businesses featured in the bursary programme are Hannah’s Gluten Free Goodies, Butterbelle, Callard & Bowser, Masala Magic, Netherton Foundry and JessicaFoundIt.
Kathy Lesser, marketing manager for Alan Ward, said: “We have never been involved with Shrewsbury Food Festival before but we couldn’t turn down the opportunity to boost the profile of these new businesses.
“We take great pride in the young people at our store and provide all the training we can to give them the best start in their career – we see this opportunity in much the same way.”
There festival is also providing a generous helping of talks from the world of creative cuisine, activities for children, artisan bars and live music to get toes tapping.
Throughout this month, 20 of the town’s restaurants, cafes and bars are taking part in the festival’s Restaurant Safari. The Safari, sponsored by Monks, offers customers the opportunity to pop in and out of the town’s many independent eateries, to sample small tasters from their menus.
Entry prices to this year’s show are being kept at affordable levels, with adult tickets priced £6, children £1 and family tickets at £12.
Event chair Andy Richardson said: “We’re in cracking shape for the third Shrewsbury Food Festival. It’s going to be an exceptional weekend of food and family fun. Shrewsbury Food Festival has become hugely popular.”
Shrewsbury Market Hall is playing host to Food Festival Fringe events on Saturday June 27, ranging from a special breakfast of ‘Shropshire on a plate’ to Chinese tea tasting and a sausage trail. Visitors will be able to follow a taste trail that weaves its way from traditional butchers and artisan cheeses to handmade cakes and authentic Chinese tea.
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