It’s finally here! Abergavenny Food Festival weekend kicked off last night with another fantastic Community Feast at the Market Hall in Abergavenny.
This annual get-together serves as the first public viewing of local designer and maker Bettina Reeves’ annual Market Hall art installation. Bettina, assisted by Seren Noel and over 40 volunteers have created this year’s theme ‘Precious Pollinators’ with butterflies, bees, dragonflies, moths and a gorgeous grasshopper now flying through the Market Hall, attracted to silk banners painted with foxglove, teasels, cosmos and yellow oxeye. A beautiful display in homage to the winged creatures who play such a vital role in our ecosystem.
Bettina Reeves Installation at Abergavenny Market Hall Picture: Credit Henry Wheatley /Abergavenny Food Festival
Aine Morris, CEO of Abergavenny Food Festival said:
“There was a real buzz at the Community Feast last night! The feast is our way of saying a great big thank you to the town for putting up with us over the festival weekend and for all their support. We must also say a huge thank you to The Angel Bakery who cooked up a storm last night with Forest Coalpit Farm’s delicious slow roast pork shoulder, freshly baked focaccia, caponata, olive oil roast potatoes, fresh fennel and green salads and a gorgeous tiramisu we’ll all be talking about for ages!”
The 21st Abergavenny Food Festival is taking place this weekend (21st & 22nd September) with a packed schedule of one-off-feasts, forages, tasting workshops, chef demos, Cooking Over Fire, and Producers Markets taking place.
Wristbands giving access to festival areas can still be purchased online via http://www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com until midnight tonight (Friday). They will be also be available to buy over the weekend from Box Offices across town, as will event tickets, depending on availability.
Bettina Reeves Installation at Abergavenny Market Hall Picture: Credit Henry Wheatley /Abergavenny Food Festival
The 2019 festival programme:
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Festival weekend will see an abundance of world-class chefs, cooks, food writers, producers and masters of their trade share their stories, passions and inspiration.
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Highlights include a bumper schedule of talks and debates at the Borough Theatre; Voices at the Table with Miranda York in collaboration with poet Anna Sulan Masing; a journey into the The Vinegar Cupboard with food writer and historian Angela Clutton; a tasting of Pasture Fed Mutton with chefs Jane Baxter, and Cyrus Todiwala; an exploration of the beautiful world of Beautiful Balsamic with Belazu; and a guide to the best Non Alcoholic Cocktails around from guardian drinks writer Fiona Beckett, Callum Hutson of Real Kombucha and Claire Warner of Æcorn Aperitifs.
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As always visitors can expect to find around 220 food and drink producers trading across nine market sites including: Cheese and Wine, Fish & Fizz, Street Food and night market, and a special area for New Food Producers. Traders will include Trealy Farm Charcuterie, Halen Mon, Borough Market’s Heritage Cheese, and many, many more.
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Don’t forget to look out for the Welsh dragon sign on stalls in the Markets selling produce from and made in Wales.
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Abergavenny Food Festival welcomes returning sponsors: Triodos Bank, Griffith Construction, Chase Distillery, Belazu, Riverford Organic, Real Kombucha, Seedlip, Heritage Cheese, Willy’s Apple Cider Vinegar, Kadai Firebowls, Pipers Farm, Cooks School and Rougemont Independent School, plus new sponsors Aecorn Aperitifs Unearthed and Maple From Canada.
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Twitter: @afoodfestival
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Instagram: @afoodfestival
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Facebook: Abergavenny Food Festival
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Main Picture: Credit Henry Wheatley /Abergavenny Food Festival