If you find yourself feeling peckish on the beach or when browsing the shops, you’re positively spoilt for choice when the Bournemouth Food & Drink Festival comes to town. This delicious event fills the Square for a full ten days every June with mouth-watering sights, smells and tastes.
Great food on the go
Back for its seventh year, this culinary extravaganza celebrates and sells cuisine hailing from all corners of the globe, combining street food with farmer’s market fayre, with haute cuisine and everything in between. Perhaps you’re hankering after a wood-fired pizza, some Thai noodles, Spanish paella, Italian ice cream or maybe you’ve got a taste for oysters and champagne? All this and more is ready when you are, whether you’re after a 10am brunch or you’ve got the 10pm munchies.
Watch the experts
The People’s Kitchen is a popular fixture with food and drink demos hosted by professional chefs. Prepare for a healthy portion of rivalry and a large helping of laughs as you watch an array of incredible dishes cooked and assembled before your eyes. Guest ‘chefs’ roped in over the 2017 festival include the Mayor of Bournemouth, the editor of the Echo and a local MP as well as various audience ‘volunteers!’
Keep an eye on the website for details special spin off events. In 2017 we saw a kid’’s Kitchen, a rum masterclass, a bar tender competition, Conker Gin masterclass, Wagamama experience, a talk on English wine and ‘cocktail cabinet concoctions!’
Farmer’s markets
Across the two weekends of the event. the Food and Drink festival square is joined by an array of local farmers and producers who show off and sell their wares as part of the festival’s farmer’s market. Locally-produced delicacies from proud regional brands at the 2017 event included Marshwood Vale cider and Dorset Chilli Shop.
Bournemouth Food and Drink Festival is a jovial affair with people from all parts of the community coming together to sample and enjoy some great tasting grub. Music is another big hit, with local acts and guest performers providing the soundtrack to this much-anticipated annual event live from the Festival Hub.