Abergavenny Food Festival facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Abergavenny Food Festival |
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| Genre | Celebration of food and food culture |
| Dates | 18–19 September 2021 (3rd weekend in September) |
| Location(s) | Abergavenny, Wales |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founders | Chris Wardle & Martin Orbach |
| Attendance | +35,000 |
| Patron(s) | Franco Taruschio, Mr Alun Griffiths |
| Website | http://www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com |
The Abergavenny Food Festival is a super fun yearly event that celebrates all things food! It takes place every September in the lovely town of Abergavenny in Wales.
The Independent newspaper even called it one of the top 50 best summer festivals. It's a big deal for anyone who loves tasty treats and learning about food.
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How It Started
The festival began in 1999. Two local farmers, Chris Wardle and Martin Orbach, had the idea. They wanted to help people feel good about food again after a farming challenge called the BSE crisis.
A famous newspaper, The Guardian, once said: "Abergavenny is to food as Cannes is to film – an annual festival for spotting rising stars in Britain's artisan food firmament." This means it's a great place to find new and exciting food makers!
In 2019, over 35,000 people visited the festival. That's a lot of food lovers!
Many famous chefs and food experts have visited the festival over the years. Some of them include Antonio Carluccio, Anthony Bourdain, Levi Roots, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and Alex James.
How the Festival Works
The Abergavenny Food Festival is a non-profit event. This means it's not trying to make money for owners. Instead, any money made goes back into making the festival even better.
It's run by a group of people who volunteer their time. There's also a small team of staff who work part-time all year. Many other groups and people help support the festival too.
Festival Highlights (1999-Present)
Planning for the very first festival started in 1998. Volunteers worked hard to make it happen. About 39 local food and drink makers showed off their products in the Market Hall.
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The first festival had talks by famous people like Marguerite Patten and Franco & Ann Taruschio. There was also a discussion about GM Foods.
A special dinner called the Community Banquet (now called 'Festival Fanfare') was held. About 180 people enjoyed dinner together in the Market Hall.
Other fun events included farm walks, an apple show, and tours of the Abergavenny Museum. There was even a children's verse exhibition at the library!
The Abergavenny Market Hall has always been a very important place for the festival. The staff there have helped a lot since the beginning.
The first festival got money from different places, including sponsors. Money from ticket sales and stall fees also helped. Any money left over helps pay for future festivals.
Growing Bigger (2012-2015)
The festival has grown a lot over the years! It even won an award for "Best Event in Wales" in 2013/14. It's now one of the top food events in the whole UK. People come from all over to visit.
Here's what you can find at the festival now:
- Around 220 stalls selling delicious food and drinks. They are spread out in different indoor places and along the streets of Abergavenny.
- About 50 special events you can buy tickets for. These include cooking classes, food tastings, talks, and interesting debates.
- A Children's Food Academy at The Castle. This is a great place for families with fun, hands-on workshops for all ages.
- The 'Rude Health' Speakers Corner, where you can hear from celebrity guests.
- Live cooking shows by chefs in the Market Hall and at The Priory Centre. Chefs from all over Wales cook their special dishes.
- A big Party at The Castle in the evening, with music and food for up to 1,000 people!
Festival Discussions
Since 1999, the festival has hosted many interesting discussions. These talks bring together experts and the public to chat about important food topics.
Some past topics have included:
- "GMO's Do we need them?" (1999)
- "Organic Food, Hope or Hype?" (2000)
- "Beyond Fast Food? A Menu for the 21st Century" (2001)
- "Today's meat culture is Unsafe, Unsavoury and Unsustainable" (2002)
- "Do we still need the High Street?" (2012, 2013)
- "Food or wildlife - are we striking the right balance?" (2013)
- "Is healthy eating making us ill?" (2014)
The festival also holds conferences for people in the food industry. These talks cover topics like how food festivals can help local food culture and how to make food tourism better. They also discuss sustainable food and food in tough economic times.
See also
