Well here we are, on the eve of the Stone Food and Drink Festival, and this is our guide to what to expect and how to get the most out of your visit!
Firstly let’s kick off and start by saying that the Stone Food and Drink Festival is run by a Community Interest Company alongside an army of volunteers – it’s a massive task to pull off such an event and it’s something that showcases Stone.
Usually taking place on the first weekend in October, for 2022 there was a move to mid-July as proposals to redevelop Westbridge Park could have meant the festival couldn’t happen in 2022.
In October it feels like a game of weather roulette as we move from years of dry weather to years where we get downpours. The July date should have made the weather a lot more predictable and the forecast is for a scorcher!
TIP: Sunhat, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle – there’s an Amber Warning from the MET office in place for at least some of the weekend so stay safe!
Opening Times
The festival runs from Friday 15th July, to Sunday 17th July and the opening times are:
- Friday 15th July – 12:00pm – 7:00pm
- Saturday 16th July – 10:00am – 6:00pm
- Sunday 17th July – 10:00am – 6:00pm
Tickets
Access to the festival is strictly controlled by ticket, you can purchase either a day ticket or a pass for multiple days. Children aged under 16 can access the site for FREE when coming in with a fee-paying adult.
Advance Tickets:
- 1 day pass – £9
- 2 day pass – £16
- 3 day pass – £24
TIP: Buy tickets in advance to avoid the queues and save money – Buy Stone Food and Drink Festival Tickets Here
TIP: Get weekend tickets and do different bits each day, we usually do a scout around on Friday to get our bearings, note the toilet locations, and explore before it gets busier at the weekend.
On the Day Tickets:
You can purchase tickets at the gate on the day, these are £12pp and again children under 16 can enter FREE with a fee-paying adult.
TIP: Friday evening there’s a special discounted ticket – £6 for entry after 5pm, there are also concessions available for £6pp.
Getting There
Parking around Westbridge Park can be busy around Festival weekend. For those needing to travel by car, there’s a park and ride site operating from ABB/Hitatchi on Oulton Road.
This costs £3pp (accompanied under 16s FREE) and you can hop off at one of two stops depending on whether you’re heading in through the top of town or want to go straight to Westbridge Park.
TIP: Walk if you can, you can take a nice walk along the canal, or through the Town and end up building up a nice thirst and appetite! If you need to stop en route then Stone has some lovely shops and hospitality businesses that can give take advantage of.
TIP: On Saturday there’s a special seasonal market alongside the town’s craft and collectables market.
TIP: Please park responsibility, please consider local residents and business owners when you abandon your cars!
On-Site Facilities
Dogs – Dogs, with the exception of guide dogs, ARE NOT permitted on site due to advice regarding food hygenie regulations.
First Aid – A medical team is permanently on site during the festival weekend.
Lost Children / Lost Property – There’s a control centre where you can head if you’ve lost something.
Baby Changing – Baby changing facilities are available
Disabled Access – The site, after the initial slope to get in, is relatively flat. Crowds over the weekend can be busy so consider a visit on Friday if you want a quieter experience.
What’s On?
The event may be branded as a “Food and Drink” Festival, but it’s so much more.
For Children:
There’s a mix of free and paid activities for children to take advantage of. These are the dedicated children’s activities:
- Children’s Farm – FREE
- Milkshake Shack – Pay as you go
- Crazy Golf – Pay as you go
- Fairground Rides – Pay as you go
- Face Painting – Pay as you go
TIP: Kids are free to get in so definitely take them along. Face painting is always popular so if you want to do that do it early or when you can see the queue is quiet!
TIP: Point out the festival control box to your children when you arrive, tell them to head there if you get split up.
Learn something:
A key part of the festival weekend is the various demonstrations and talks on offer.
Demonstration Kitchen – Sponsored by Granville’s
Over the weekend, several well renowned local chefs will appear in the festival kitchen to give demonstrations. These are FREE to attend and can be a great way of grabbing a seat and learning something new.
TIP: Take a look at the schedule in advance and then plan your visit accordingly – Demonstration Kitchen Timetable
Talks and Tastings – Sponsored by Joule’s Brewery
The talks and tastings tent is an orgy of food delight. From wines, gin, cheese, coffee and more, there’s an absolutely jam-packed schedule lined up for 2022.
TIP: My top tip is once again – look at the schedule and make some plans! These sessions are VERY popular so arrive early to grab a seat! – Talks and Tastings Timetable
Food and Drink!
A “Food and Drink” festival would be nothing without these two key elements! Across the festival site you will find marquees of stalls selling food and drink to take away, alongside stalls serving things to enjoy there and then! There’s even a massive beer garden featuring local beer, wine, cider and gin producers!
TIP: Get the best value out of the ticket price by trying the samples. Cheese, cakes, pickles, prosecco, gin, wine, coffee and so much more! You should easily be able to recover most, if not all, of the ticket price in free samples!
Music
Stone’s Food and Drink Festival is well known for it’s music stage, and this year that stage is sponsored by Lexus Stoke with the sound equipment being supplied by DB Audio Solutions
There’s a mixture of bands and performances by Stone’s Rooftop Studios.
TIP: Grab a beer and enjoy! It’s one of my highlights listening to the music and watching people enjoying the music and atmosphere.
TIP: Check out the music lineup and make some plans! – Music Stage Timetable
Pre and Post-Festival Activities
The Stone Food and Drink Festival happens next to the town centre, this provides a great opportunity to visit our local shops and hospitality businesses. They’d love to see you before and after the festival so why not pop in and take a look around?!
On Saturday there’s a double market in the High Street so it’s well worth a wander in to explore!
