Alnwick Food Festival 2018: Food & Family Fun with a Local Flavour

Celebrate Local Food

The Alnwick Food Festival on the 22nd and 23rd September promises over 50 food and drink stalls in the Market Place, a raft of family fun in the Kidz Zone from 10.30am on both days in the Northumberland Hall and live music and street entertainment across the weekend. The Beer Festival will be hosted in the Town Hall over the same weekend.

This festival is the penultimate food festival in Northumberland, the last one in is Morpeth this year on the 6th and 7th October. This time of the year is well known for its abundant harvest and this will be on display this year on the many stalls around the town.

Something For All The Family

The food festival, which is coming into its 13th year, is welcoming new faces, about 1/4 are newbies, and a return of old favourite stallholders for the 2018 2-day celebration. The weekend will be filled with street entertainment, including music and street performers as well as boasting an interactive Kidz Zone which includes a Slime Workshop and Cupcake Decorating. Please be aware that you need to book your space for these events.

As part of the food festival, Bari Tea, located in Narrowgate, is hosting its 7th mini tea festival. The focus this year is on Kenya. Bari Tea offers the opportunity to discover more about African teas, which are a more recent player in tea production. This weekend there will be a chance to sample over 35 teas and enjoy tea-infused cakes and scones. You can find out more about Bari Tea in our article; It’s Time for a Northumberland Cup of Tea.

Supported By Local Businesses

This year’s Festival is being sponsored by Ford Motorcare Alnwick, who will have two of the All-New Ford Focus models on show in the Market Place over the weekend. They will be joining in the local food theme, promoting a free prize draw to win a local food hamper.

Alf the lion, is Alnwick Food Festival’s mascot and is also an ambassador for the Festival’s new Friends scheme which includes local eateries such as The White Swan. You will be able to spot Alf around the festival and he is always keen to pose for photographs!

Sample the Street Food

As well as traditional cuisine there are appetising vegetarian and vegan choices from two exhibitors new to Alnwick. Andy Steele from Jedburgh has just launched his new business, Borderesque, offering vegetarian and vegan street food. Samantha Sales from Simply Nutritious Life will be selling some of her tasty ‘free from’ creations and also offering allergy testing and advice. The inclusion of more diverse food stalls will encourage more people to come along to the festival, knowing that all needs are catered for whether its meat-free, dairy-free or gluten-free.

Stallholders from Northumberland & Scottish Borders

Borderesque

Based in Jedburgh. Offering veggie and vegan street food delicacies!

Piccolo Caffe

Northumberland‘s Smallest Coffee shop selling artisan coffee, cold-brew coffee, freshly squeezed juice and unicorn hot chocolate!

The Chirnells Farmhouse Kitchen

From Thropton, Chirnells Farmhouse is a bakery known for its scones, bread, biscuits and cakes, a regular at local markets.

The Goat Company

Based outside Morpeth, The Goat Company produce high-quality free-range goat and kid meat.

Grants Butchers

Sausage specialists from Prudhoe. They boast over 100 varieties of sausage!

Greenbrae

Overlooking the beautiful Coquet Valley in Harbottle, Greenbrae produces beef, lamb, mutton and rare breed pork using traditional techniques.

Hadrian’s Game Larder

Experience the diverse taste of game from Hadrian’s Game Larder from Hexham. Products include game pies, venison burgers, pheasant sausages, game-based scotch eggs and game sausage rolls.

Mivesi

A popular Indian restaurant in Alnwick and a regular at local markets providing classic Indian street food cuisine.

Taste of Northumbria

A shop in the market square in Alnwick, selling a variety of local spirits, meads and beers.

The Northumberland Cheese Company

Local artisan cheesemaker from Blagdon selling cellar ripened cheese and cheese made from sheep, cow & goats cheese.

The Mad Jam Woman

A regular and popular face at local markets. The Mad Jam Woman uses local produce in her homemade jam, marmalade, chutney & hot sauce varieties.

Scott’s Dinky Donuts

From Pegswood and offers artisan doughnuts made fresh to order.

Harper’s Exotic BBQ

Offering a BBQ for hire to venues across the North-East, Harper’s Exotic BBQ, based in Corbridge, includes meats such as kangaroo and buffalo.

D.R. Collin & Son

An award-winning fresh local fish supplier from Eyemouth.

Mocha Mondo Coffee

Offering locally roasted coffee in Amble. They also make their own chocolate and coffee cherry tea!

Katy Cloud Marshmallows

Creates handmade artisan marshmallows, in a variety of flavours from Kelso

The Northumbrian Sausage Company

Butchery based in Wark, near Hexham. Makes a variety of sausages in small batches, which includes interesting flavours such as Pork and Minted Mushy Pea, Chocolate Fennel and locally made Tarset Valley Marmalade and Onion.

The Nut Roaster

Freshly roasted nut butter made naturally with no additives. Varieties include almond, peanut, cashew and hazelnut butters. 100% nuts with no additives or palm oil.

The Proof of the Pudding

Local to Alnwick, The Proof of the Pudding creates homemade baked and steamed puddings. Check out traditional favourites such as Spotted Dick and Sticky Toffee Pudding.

Event Programme

Saturday 22nd September

All Day

9:00am – 5:00pm
Food Festival in Market Square
Locally produced food and drink from Northumberland and surrounding area.

Kidz Zone in Northumberland Hall

Activities, shows and workshops through the day.

Saturday Street Market in Bondgate

Alnwick’s regular street traders with bags more for you to browse and buy.

Live Music

11:00am
Nick & Eliza, Duo (Market Square)
Rachel Stevens, Saxophonist (Bondgate Within)

1:30pm
Jenny Biddle, Vocalist (Market Square)
Kevi Steel Band (Bondgate Within)

3:00pm
Ron Creasy, Trumpet (Market Square)
Street Entertainment

Throughout Day

Tommy Bungle (Clown and Balloon Artist)
Jesse Ward (Bubbleologist)

Sunday 23rd September

All Day

10:00am – 4:00 pm
Food Festival in Market Square
Locally produced food and drink from Northumberland and surrounding area.

Kidz Zone in Northumberland Hall

Activities, shows and workshops through the day.

Live Music

11:30am
Jenny Biddle, Vocalist
Street Entertainment

12noon
The Greatest Showman

2:00pm
Animal Antics

Something For the Weekend

You can keep up to date with the goings-on for the Alnwick Food Festival 2018 across various social media platforms. Keep a lookout for Foodful’s favourite local food & drink stalls over the weekend on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Thanks to Philip and Melanie, organisers of the Alnwick Food Festival for supplying information and content.