Foodies Festival – the UK’s biggest touring gourmet food and music festival series – returns to Brighton for a huge May Bank Holiday weekend from 4th – 6th May. Featuring a star-studded line-up of celebrity chefs and chart-topping music stars, including Sister Sledge, Scouting For Girls and Symphonic Ibiza Orchestra.
Known as Gastro-Glastonbury, the festival will take place at Brighton’s Preston Park in May, the same venue for the past few years (it used to be at Hove Lawns). The three-day event features live cooking demonstrations from top chefs drawn from the ranks of TV’s MasterChef, Great British Bake Off and Great British Menu, plus top-rated Michelin-starred and award-winning chefs.
Star names appearing in the live cooking theatres include: MasterChef 2021 champion Tom Rhodes, Alex Webb who was the Great British Menu winner, Steven Edwards, Jurgen Krauss and Sunday Brunch bread expert Jack Sturgess.
The musical feast is just as sumptuous with plenty of great acts playing throughout the day and into the night. Scouting For Girls have performed the last few years at the festival and always know how to get the crowd going, playing their classics that all of us 30-somethings sing along to in nostalgic joy.
Showcasing the best of Brighton and the south coast, many of the most-highly acclaimed Michelin and multi-award-winning chefs will also appear, including: Peter Dantanus, Head Chef from Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded, Burnt Orange, Jamie Halsall, Head Chef from Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded, Cin Cin, Mark Charker Head Chef from 2AA Rosette-awarded, The Bell in Ticehurst, Will Devlin, Chef-Patron of Green Michelin Star awarded, The Small Holding, Lee Parsons, Chef-Patron from 2AA Rosette-awarded The Parsons Table, Alun Sperring, co-founder and chef from Bib Gourmand awarded Chilli Pickle and Paul Peters, Head Chef from 3AA Rosette-awarded, Amberley Castle.
Throughout the 3 day weekend, visitors will enjoy a jam-packed schedule of TV cooking show champions and award-winning chefs in the interactive live theatres. In the Chefs Theatre, celebrities will create their signature dishes and share new tips and tricks, whilst in the Cake & Bake Theatre, star bakers whip up showstoppers and offer tempting sweet treats.
In The Kids Cookery School, Foodies SuperChefs make cooking fun, helping younger guests to prepare delicious food which they can take away and enjoy. Masterclasses in the Drinks Theatre include tutored Champagne, Beer, Cider, Cocktail and Wine-tasting.
Visitors can browse the latest food trends in the Shopping Village, meet local producers in the Artisan Market and taste exotic and unusual new dishes in the Feasting Tent – which features a mouth-watering range of street food and delicacies from all four corners of the globe. Other attractions include a fairground, children’s activities, and family-friendly areas.
My Foodie Festival Tips
- Bring a blanket to sit down on, as after a few hours of sifting through stands you’ll want to relax and enjoy a drink.
- Maybe pack toilet paper, they’re normally amazing at having plenty but by the end of the night you don’t want to be caught short if they’re out.
- Bring a rucksack, as you will undoubtedly want to buy a few things as you visit each stand.
- If you’re buying something expirable, like cheese, you can ask the stand if you can come back later to collect your purchase. They’re normally more than happy to put it aside for you, keeping it out of the sun.
- BRING SUN TAN LOTION! So many people got burnt last year as we experienced some amazing sunshine, so remember to pack a bottle and protect your skin.
Dates and tickets
Preston Park, Preston Road, Brighton, BN1 6SD
4th-6th May 2024
Tickets from £4 (child) and £21 (adult) are on sale now at www.foodiesfestival.com
FOODIES in FIGURES
The festival will visit 14 regions across 42 dates in 2024
Over 600 live theatre demonstrations will take place across the series, featuring celebrity and Michelin chefs, star bakers and highly acclaimed local restaurants.
There will be more than 400 music performances from headline artists and exciting local and UK touring acts on the Musicians Against Homelessness stage.
And 2000 artisan producers, exhibitors and street food vendors will be involved across the series.