A massive three-day food and music festival, whose line up includes big names like Scouting For Girls, Toploader and Callum Beattie as well as food stars like Andrew Minto, Hywel Griffith and Cardiff's own Owen Morgan and Thomas Heaney, is coming to Wales' capital city for the first time.
Foodies Festival began in 2005 and has grown into being the UK's largest food and drink festival. Visiting 13 different locations across the UK over 39 dates in 2023, Cardiff will host the prestgious festival over the coronation bank holiday weekend from May 6 to May 8 in Bute Park.
With live cooking demonstrations from chefs who have appeared on television programmes like MasterChef, Great British Bake Off and the Great British Menu and musical performances from chart-toppers, it's set to be a delicious weekend.
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Hywel Griffith, who is the chef - and a Great British Menu winner - at 3 AA Rosette restaurant Beach House in Oxwich said: "After cooking at the Bristol Foodies Festival last year, my feedback to the team was to bring the festival to Wales…. and here it is in Cardiff this year! What better way to spend the weekend, than walking around eating delicious food, watching some of your favourite chefs cooking in the live theatres and listening to great music."
The festival is supporting Musicians Against Homelessness (MAH) with its ticket profits raising money for the homelessness charity, Crisis. The festival's main stage - named after MAH - will feature more than 25 different artists ranging from local bands to some of the UK's best hitmakers.
"We always look forward to Foodies and it just wouldn’t be summer without it!" said boy band Scouting For Girls. "The festivals have a great vibe and we often bring our family and friends along to enjoy the fun. We’ve all taken a liking to the Japanese bao buns and the Jamaican Jerk chicken, so we’ll also be looking forward to scoffing that!
“See you soon Cardiff.”
The festival's director Sue Hitchen added: “We are thrilled to bring our celebration of amazing food, drink and entertainment to Cardiff, and we are proud to support local artisan producers and restaurants. We’ve all had a difficult few years, so to help keep things affordable festival prices have been frozen for the third year running – even though our stars and features get bigger and better every year. We offer a great value day out for families and friends.”
Also making an appearance at the festival will be Purple Poppadom's Anand George, the Heathcock's Dave Killick and Michael Coggan - Bake Off: The Professionals 2021 winner alongside Andrew Minto. The chefs will be cooking up a storm and showcasing their flavour-filled talents in the 'Chef's Theatre' as well as the Cake and Bake Theatre, which will be featuring some star bakers whipping up some jaw-dropping showstoppers and sweet treats.
For the next generation of chefs, there will be 'The Kids Cookery School' - where Foodies Superchefs will be on hand to help them prepare some mouthwatering meals to take away and enjoy.
And it's not just food demonstrations and musical performances to enjoy. Alongside street food trucks, a fairyground and a children's activity area will be erected and a Drinks Theatre where experts like the BBC's Joe Wadsack, Cardiff Distillery and Bang On, will take a deep dive into the joys of tasting wine, Champagne, beer, cider and cocktails.
Ticketholders can also visit a 'meet the authors' segment in the Cookbook Shop, take part in a messy 'Doughnut Dash' race - aka, a 'who can eat the most doughnuts' competition - and test their limits in a chilli eating competition, to name just a few other activities.
Ticket prices range from £3 for children and £19 for adults. For tickets, see Foodies Festival's website.
Foodies Festival will take place in Bute Park (on North Road, Cardiff, CF10 3ER) on the King's Coronation weekend between May 6 and May 8.
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