The countdown to the 2015 Stone Food and Drink Festival is well under way and, with the print programme due to be hitting doormats over the coming weeks, the full Festival line-up is now available to view online.
As well as the usual variety of things to see and do over the course of the ‘big weekend’ – Friday 2nd, Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th October – at Westbridge Park, there are a number of great events taking place in and around the town the week prior to the main event.
For example, kicking things off on Saturday 26th September will be the mouth-watering ‘Chilli Off’ taking place at Lymestone Brewery, where competitors will vie to make the tastiest chilli. This will be followed by numerous fun-filled events spread out over the course of the week, including a special 80s night at Granville’s, a Town Centre Pub ‘Stroll’ involving eight local watering holes, and a Taste Bud Challenge at Flavours of Flora in Crown Square.
The Festival Farmers’ Market will be back in the High Street on Saturday and throughout the week there are themed nights at different restaurants, gin and wine tastings, pub quizzes, special offers – and much, much more besides – to enjoy throughout town.
By the time the Friday rolls around, however, the festivities will start to move up a gear for the ‘big weekend’.
This year, Westbridge Park will feature plenty of gastronomic delights to whet the appetite, such as the Gourmet Marquee, Talks and Tastings Tent, Demonstration Kitchen, cookery Masterclasses, the Lewis Partnership’s Pop-up restaurant, global Street Food, a new live music stage and the obligatory beer tent and cocktail bars. New for 2015 on Saturday and Sunday will be the Panic Circus Big Top in the ‘Little Foodies’ zone to prove entertainment for the younger members of the family, in addition to children’s cookery classes, craft activities and face painting.
Once again, Westbridge Park will host special ticket-only events ‘out of hours’ on Festival Friday and Saturday – the Lewis Partnership’s elegant pop-up restaurant will serve delicious three course gourmet dinners. Meanwhile, on Saturday evening a brand new event for the festival, the ‘Gin Jamboree’, will take place offering least 60 different gins and hundreds of tonic and garnish combinations, and a Louisana-style Jambalaya supper.
After an eventful 12 months of preparation, Festival Chairman Richard Stevens is confident that the 2015 festival will build on the success of previous years.
He said: “As the Festival approaches its 11th year, we are more determined than ever to ensure we continue to grow each year, making each festival better than the last. This year, we’ve faced some challenges squeezing in new additions given the space restrictions at Westbridge Park. However, thanks to the efforts of Director Mick Powell and others behind the scenes, we have been able to re-jig the site to make space for more traders and new additions.
“I would like to take this opportunity say a huge thank you to all the local business in the town centre and beyond who have supported the Festival and organised their own events to be staged in the build-up and over the big weekend. Hopefully this will be a record-breaking festival year for our brilliant town, and I would encourage everyone to get involved and enjoy what promises to be a great week of foodie fun.”
To view the full programme of Festival events visit www.stonefoodanddrink.org.uk, where you can also purchase discounted advance tickets for the main Stone Food & Drink Festival at Westbridge Park and book spaces on the Cookery Masterclasses. To book tickets for the Lewis Partnership’s Pop up in the Park Gourmet evenings call 01785 710917, and to secure Gin Jamboree tickets call 01782 372888.
