The 21st Christchurch Food Festival will host its largest celebration of the south coast’s food and drink scene to date, extending to three days for the first time and welcoming TV chef Rosemary Schrager and the award-winning Cyrus Todiwala OBE.
At the heart of this event, which runs 8-10 May, set within the picturesque harbour town on the beach-lined Dorset coast, is the remarkable food and drink of the South West. A handpicked line-up of traders will be showcasing the very best of the region’s artisan produce, street food, local breweries and distilleries and a host of entertainment.
Firing up their grills and readying their ovens throughout the weekend will be Schrager, Todiwala, chef James Golding of acclaimed The Pig Hotel, and Alex Aitken, one of the South of England's most respected chefs. Each guest star will take to the Chef Demo Theatre, sharing tips and recipes with festival-goers in a series of interactive demos and tastings.
Coinciding with the VE Day Bank Holiday, the festival will kick off with a spectacular tribute to the 75th anniversary celebrations with the Red Devils.
Sustainability is also central to this year’s festival, which will take ever greater steps to minimising its environmental impact. Only compostable or reusable cups, plates and cutlery to be used throughout the weekend, all waste will be recycled, and surplus food will be disposed of through environmentally-friendly means. T
hroughout the weekend, proceeds from the festival will also go to the Christchurch Food Festival Education Trust which focuses on promoting healthy eating in local schools.
Christchurch Food Festival is curated by Real Food Festivals, including Philip Lowery, co-founder and Christchurch local. With an emphasis on independent traders and sustainable artisan produce, Real Food Festivals have been dedicated to celebrating the best of food and drink since 2008, staging some of the biggest food events in the UK, London and internationally.
Lowery said, “We have a stellar line-up for this year’s Christchurch Food Festival with even more names still to be added for our 21st anniversary celebrations. Last year saw over 60,000 visitors to the quayside, and we’re looking forward to making this year’s festival the biggest and best one to date.”
