Festival photograph: Tim Woodier / Abergavenny Food Festival.

Abergavenny Food Festival returns on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026. It is a good reason to visit the town – and an even better reason not to hurry home.

Make a weekend of it and there is time for the festival at its busiest, a relaxed evening, a local overnight stay and another morning in Abergavenny when the crowds and timings no longer set the pace.

Start with the festival

Across two days, Abergavenny Food Festival brings more than 120 stallholders, over 80 events and at least 16 live music acts to 16 venues around the town. The programme moves between markets, chef demonstrations, talks, tastings, workshops, book signings, family activities and the Local & Vocal stage.

More than 80% of events are included with a festival wristband, although some talks, workshops and special sessions need an additional ticket. Saturday and Sunday have different programmes, so check what is happening on the day you plan to attend rather than assuming both days are the same.

Explore the official 2026 festival programme and check ticket availability and book directly with the festival.

Festival day tickets cost £17 and a weekend ticket costs £26. Entry to the main festival is free for under-16s. The Kids’ Cookery School and other family activities make it easy to share the day, but check the programme because some sessions have set times or need advance booking.

Do not schedule every minute. Leave room to talk to producers, return to a stall you liked and step beyond the festival venues. If you arrive on Friday or have time on Saturday morning, The Angel Bakery and Shop is an independent Cross Street stop for sourdough, pastries, coffee and local produce. Its regular opening days are Tuesday to Saturday, so check current festival-weekend details before setting out.

Let the evening be part of the visit

On Saturday, the separately ticketed Party in the Castle runs from 19:15 to 23:00, with four bands across two stages, fire poi and close-up entertainment. Tickets cost £31, must be booked in advance and the event is for ages 12 and over.

If a quieter table is more your style, book it before festival weekend. The Angel Abergavenny offers dining in the centre of town, while The Walnut Tree, a short journey outside Abergavenny, is an option for visitors planning a special meal. The important bit is to reserve rather than hope for a free table in a very busy town.

Stay instead of driving home

Staying overnight changes the shape of the visit. You can enjoy the evening without watching the clock and start again in Abergavenny the following morning.

For a central base, The Angel Abergavenny has rooms and suites within walking distance of the market, shops and festival venues. Just outside town, Hardwick Farm offers two en-suite rooms and farmhouse breakfast on a working dairy farm, with walking from the door.

For a longer self-catering stay, Porth y Parc has two eco-conscious, dog-friendly cottages below the Sugar Loaf. Each is a different sort of break, so use the individual BBT profiles to compare what will suit you and book directly with the business.

Give Abergavenny another morning

The next morning does not need a packed itinerary. Have breakfast, walk through town and give yourself time for the market, castle grounds and independent streets that are easy to rush past during the festival.

The Abergavenny guide on the Bannau Brycheiniog website is the best starting point for the wider town, landscape, walking, transport and visitor-planning information. It will help you decide whether your extra time is best spent in town or looking towards the surrounding hills.

If you want to turn the extra day into an activity, Grange Horse Riding and Trekking Centre offers riding in the Black Mountains and needs to be booked in advance. Families or history enthusiasts extending their journey towards Blaenavon could instead visit Big Pit National Coal Museum. Check current opening, booking and access information through each BBT profile before travelling.

Choose one extra plan rather than trying to fit in everything. That breathing space is what turns a day at the festival into a proper Abergavenny weekend – and gives local accommodation, food, shops and attractions a little more of your time too.

Plan before you travel

• Festival dates: Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026
• Main festival tickets: £17 for one day or £26 for the weekend; under-16s enter free
• Programme: Saturday and Sunday differ, and some sessions have separate tickets
• Getting around: the festival uses 16 venues across the town, so allow time to walk between them
• Evening: book Party in the Castle, dinner and accommodation in advance
• Bring: comfortable shoes, layers and a reusable bag for purchases

Choose your festival day from the official programme

View the Abergavenny Food Festival listing on BBT

Book directly where you can. It gives you the clearest information from the business and helps more of the value of a busy festival weekend stay in and around Abergavenny.