Town Food Festival Returns This Weekend
Stratford-upon-Avon is preparing to welcome thousands of food lovers this weekend as the town’s popular Food Festival returns for two days of artisan produce, street food, live entertainment and cookery demonstrations.
Taking place on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September, the Stratford-upon-Avon Food Festival will transform Bridge Street, Meer Street and Henley Street into a vibrant celebration of food and drink, with more than 100 traders expected to take part.
The two-day event comes at a time when Stratford-upon-Avon is enjoying a particularly strong year for major events, following the hugely successful Festival of Motoring in May, which attracted an incredible 137,000 visitors to the town centre over the late May Bank Holiday weekend.
Organised by Stratford-upon-Avon BID in partnership with LSD Promotions, this year’s Food Festival will bring together a diverse mix of food and drink producers, with visitors able to browse everything from street food and craft drinks to artisan produce, deli favourites and sweet treats.
The festival’s demonstration kitchen will also provide a packed programme of talks, demonstrations and appearances from local chefs and producers, giving visitors the chance to discover more about the people and businesses behind some of the region’s food and drink.
There will be plenty for younger visitors to enjoy too, with free children’s face painting and a programme of free, bookable activities including cupcake decorating. Families can enjoy the activities alongside the festival’s stalls, entertainment and food and drink, making it a great day out for visitors of all ages.
Aaron Corsi from Stratford-upon-Avon BID said: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming visitors to Stratford-upon-Avon for what promises to be a fantastic weekend of food, drink and entertainment."
“The Festival of Motoring showed just how much appetite there is for major events in the town, and the Food Festival is another great opportunity to bring people into the town centre, discover something new and enjoy everything Stratford-upon-Avon has to offer.
“This year we’ve worked alongside Heartwood Inns to introduce a new wristband scheme, giving visitors the chance to enjoy exclusive offers from participating businesses across the town alongside everything happening at the festival itself.”
The new festival wristband gives visitors access to a range of exclusive offers from participating restaurants, pubs, shops and attractions throughout the weekend.
Wristbands can be purchased as an e-ticket before being exchanged for a physical wristband and festival guidebook from the Visitor Information Centre. The guide includes a full list of participating offers, festival highlights and a map of Stratford-upon-Avon, making it easy for visitors to explore the town alongside the festival.
Offers already confirmed include discounts and deals at venues including principal wristband sponsor The Red Lion, as well as Nando’s, The White Swan and Hooray’s, with a number of participating venues also offering exclusive drinks deals across the weekend.
With the festival taking place across the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon, visitors can make a full day of their visit, combining the food festival with the town’s independent shops, restaurants, pubs and attractions.
The event also provides an important platform for the region’s food and drink businesses, giving producers the opportunity to showcase their products directly to thousands of visitors and connect with new customers. Aaron added: “The Food Festival has become a real fixture in Stratford-upon-Avon’s events calendar and it’s fantastic to see it continue to grow.”
“With more than 100 traders, plenty of entertainment, a packed programme in the demonstration kitchen and the new wristband offers encouraging visitors to explore the wider town, we’re looking forward to making this year’s festival one of our best yet.”
The Stratford-upon-Avon Food Festival takes place on Meer Street, Bridge Street and Henley Street on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September.