2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Sam Lawrie)
Food festivals promising pop-up bars, celebrity chefs and world-class cuisine are gearing up for another scrumptious summer. Tuck into local produce, sweet treats, sizzling street food and fruity cocktails at Kent’s line-up of spring and summer festivals. Here’s our handy guide to get you started.
.. ASHFOOD FESTIVAL, Ashford Hosted inside Elwick Place shopping centre, this one-day festival brings together local food, live music and family entertainment.
There will be a great range of food and drink, including hot snacks and Kent wines, as well as DJs, bands, face painting, children’s crafts and more. Details : Saturday, June 28 at Elwick Place in Ashford. Free entry, no need to book.
BEER AND BBQ FESTIVAL, Faversham Watch fire-cooking demonstrations from top chefs and butchers who will be showing you how to perfect your barbecuing skills at home. Sample smoked meat and street food from the on-site stalls, pick up the latest outdoor cooking gadgets at the marketplace and wash it all down with a craft beer. There’s also live music from Hullabaloo and GrooveZoo.
Details : Saturday, June 28 at Macknade in Faversham. Book online here . BROADSTAIRS FOOD FESTIVAL This annual Easter festival returns to the clifftop at Broadstairs for a weekend of pop-up food stalls, live demos and guided tastings.
The three-day event will have a host of culinary experts showcasing their signature dishes and cooking up a storm in their outdoor kitchens, while local traders like Tipsy Bakery, Radburger, Canterbury Cheesemakers and Kent Cider will be making an appearance. Details : Good Friday to Easter Sunday at Victoria Gardens in Broadstairs. The festival also returns for an autumn edition from Friday, October 3 to Sunday, October 5.
Free entry, no need to book. CHATHAM MARITIME FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL Find a spot next to the water and watch the dragon boat race while you feast on some foodie treats. This weekend festival will see the dockside transformed with market stalls, food and drink vendors, dessert stands, alcohol bars and live entertainment.
Details : Saturday, May 24 to Monday, May 26 at Chatham Dockside. Free entry, no need to book. HYTHE FOOD FESTIVAL This three-day festival returns for the August bank holiday with more than 70 different stalls, all offering a mouth-watering range of global cuisine and locally sourced snacks.
There will be bars offering alcoholic and soft drinks and a stage with live performances from 15 different artists throughout the weekend. Details : Saturday, August 23 to Monday, August 25 at Hythe Green. Free entry, no need to book.
KENT FOOD FEST, near Sevenoaks This jam-packed festival has everything from gourmet dishes to kids’ treats, so no matter your tastes, there’s something for everyone. Drinks will be available from the craft beer, wine and cocktail bars, while the street food festival will be serving up burgers, tacos, BBQ meat, ice cream and more. When it comes to entertainment, there will be DJs, tribute bands, rising artists, wellness zones, crafts, classic cars and a funfair.
Details : Saturday, May 17 at Kings Valley in Knockholt, near Sevenoaks. Book online here . SAUSAGE AND CIDER FEST, Birchington-on-Sea and Tunbridge Wells After making its debut in the county last year, the touring Sausage and Cider Fest will stop off at two Kent locations again this summer.
The festival has, as the name suggests, more than 20 different types of sausages and 30 flavours of cider. Visitors can also expect chilli eating contests, glitter face painting and a bumper line-up of live music from Oasis, Fleetwood Mac, Arctic Monkeys and Sam Fender tribute acts. Details : Saturday, July 5 at Quex Park in Birchington-on-Sea and Saturday, July 19 at Eridge Park in Tunbridge Wells.
Book online here . SPIRIT OF TENTERDEN A community festival that aims to show off the very best the town has to offer is back this summer. The Spirit of Tenterden festival is bursting with different bites, from funky street food that you’ve never tried before to good, old-fashioned coffee and cake.
The festival also has family activities, gift stalls, a dog show and live entertainment. If you can’t wait until then, the town will also host the Tenterden Food and Drink Festival this spring. Explore more than 40 food and drink vendors, live music and comedy at this outdoor event from Friday, May 16 to Sunday, May 18 at Tenterden Recreation Ground.
Details : Friday, July 4 to Sunday, July 6 at the Tenterden Recreation Ground. Free entry, no need to book. TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN, Maidstone A celebration of island flavours is coming to the county town later this year.
The Taste of the Caribbean festival has traditional dishes, such as jerk chicken, curry goat and ackee and saltfish, and live cooking demonstrations from Caribbean chefs. There’s music to keep you entertained, including Bob Marley and UB40 tribute bands. Details : Saturday, June 28 at Mote Park in Maidstone.
Book online here . TONBRIDGE FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL Now in its 12th year, this annual event has become a staple of Tonbridge’s summer calendar. The festival pulls in around 15,000 visitors to enjoy food and drink from across the county, with a real focus on local producers.
Food writers and chefs from the southeast will also be dropping in over the weekend to share their expertise. Details : Saturday, May 24 to Monday, May 26 at Tonbridge Castle. Free entry, no need to book.
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