More than 26,000 people will visit the award-winning Shrewsbury Food Festival set in the town’s Quarry Park this weekend.
The event, dubbed the best in the West Midlands earlier this year at the House of Lords, will bring the region’s best chefs, producers and bands under the spotlight. Visitors can sample the delights of more than 200 artisan producers and experience the best the county has to offer.
This year’s event will feature a Welsh Invasion – with the finest chefs in Wales duelling with their English rivals in a series of head-to-head Chef Demonstrations. Among the headliners is Stephen Terry, star of BBC TV’s Saturday Kitchen and Great British Menu, who will be bringing his skills to the Wenlock Spring Chef Demonstration Stage. Stephen has previously cooked for USA President Barrack Obama and used to cook with Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay. Commenting on his participation in this year’s event, he said: “I can’t wait. Shrewsbury has become one of the UK’s biggest food festivals. I’m looking forward to taking my family for a great day out – and doing a demo while I’m there.”
Follow the Cake and Ale Trails
Those with a sweet tooth will be in for a treat as the festival is providing 500 people with the chance to discover 16 cakes for £1, as part of the Cake Trail. The aim is to promote Shrewsbury Market and the town’s independent bakers – and organisers have even taken into account man’s best friend by making sure there are doggie cakes for the town’s pampered pooches. Tickets will be on sale outside the Market at the Bellstone entrance. Cakes will be available from Shrewsbury Market, Patisserie Valerie, Arthurs, Darwin’s, Bird’s Nest, Cafe AleOli, Urban Bikes, Nicky and Dave’s Cakes and other outlets, as well as participating bakers weaved throughout the festival.
Also pegged to be popular is Shrewsbury’s inaugural Ale Trail, which is being sponsored by Hobson’s Brewery, The Armoury and a number of the town’s best pubs. It kicks off this Friday 17 June and participating drinkers will receive a tankard, a lanyard and plenty of ale – including a free bottle from Hobson’s.
Keeping it local
With the ever-popular Restaurant Safari making a welcome return, as well as the chance to get hands-on with local chef Chris Burt at the FBC Manby Bowdler Cookery School, festival goers will experience Shrewsbury’s fine food and drink at its best.
Family-friendly
This year the event is again being located in The Quarry Park in Shrewsbury. Families are full catered for; with plenty of children’s activities including Katie’s Kids’ Kitchen which will be offering cooking classes for the littlest of budding chefs over the festival weekend. Free arts and craft activities will be available and of course plenty of live music over on the Buttermarket Shropshire Unsigned Music Stage. Simply bring a blanket, set-up camp on the hill and soak up the atmosphere!
The price is right
Purse-friendly entrance fees mean that the event is accessible to everyone. Adult tickets remain at 2015 prices at just £6 while children gain entry for £1 and family tickets are a snip at £12. What’s more, each year, the festival donates money to a local school to build a garden and Clive Primary School, Shrewsbury, Shropshire was the 2015 recipient.
Festival chief executive Beth Heath said: “We’ve expanded our site, created new activities for visitors, booked amazing chefs and bands – and somehow managed to peg prices at £6 for adults and £12 for families. It’s the best day out of the year for people in Shropshire – and it’s as cheap as chips.”
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