The Brecon Beacons is a real treasure trove of fine and organic produce, showcased at our superb food festivals throughout the year. Take a look at our list of foodie festivals taking place in the Brecon Beacons National Park in 2018...
June
Dinefwr Food Festival-23rd-24th June
Take one historic parkland and mansion, add so
me professional cookery demonstrations and a pinch of foodie entertainment, mix in a whole host of local food and drink producers and what have you got? – Dinefwr’s annual Food Festival.
This June, Newton House and Courtyard will be jam packed with stalls designed to tickle the taste buds of even the most sophisticated palates. We’ve chosen to support our local producers and chefs as much as possible, each providing a unique taste of Wales. The courtyard will be a hive of activity with live music to enjoy while you fill your bellies with delicious street food and local delicacies. As well as many taster talks, there’re lots of Fun With Food workshops to sink your teeth into; From cake decoration and pasta making to discovering the delights of a healthy diet with family Plant it, Grow it, Eat it activities.
Cooking up a storm in the inner courtyard will be a host of industry professionals who’ll be demonstrating the tricks of the trade that got them to the top of their game. Cwtch Catreing will be showcasing a dinner party extravaganza that you can impress your friends with. The guys at The Warren in Carmarthen will take the stage with one of their signature dishes, there'll be butchery demonstrations on both days and lots, lots more. Find out more here.
July
Merthyr Food Festival-21st
Merthyr’s tastiest festival returns to the town centre on Saturday 21 July. This year’s Merthyr Food Festival features loads of food producers, cooking stalls and local breweries taking part in what promises to be a great day out for lovers of good food. Entry is free and the main festival takes place in Penderyn Square in the heart of Merthyr Tydfil, with a Pop-Up Vegan Festival in the nearby St Tydfil Shopping Centre.
With some 50 food stalls, foodie themed entertainment, chef demos, Capital FM street stars and children's activities, there is plenty for all to enjoy. The full list of food producers will be available in the summer but we can promise some fabulous new stallholders as well as the return of some old favourites! New for this year is our Merthyr Pop Up Vegan Fest featuring a range of local vegan food and gift/craft stalls. Located in St Tydfil Shopping Centre, there'll be lots to enjoy from vegan pies to cakes, pizza to seitan bites, shortcake to superfood bars and much more - but all vegan!
With our special Saturday parking promotion, there is no need to rush your visit as it is only £1 to park all day in the pay and display car parks in the town centre. Visitors to Merthyr Food Festival can look forward to delicious food to take away, tasty cooking to tuck into whilst here and a huge selection of the very best local beverages to wash it all down. As the festival motto goes – if you love food, you’ll love Merthyr Food Festival. This event is organised and funded by The Big Heart of Merthyr Tydfil. More here.
September
Abergavenny Food Festival-15th-16th September
Abergavenny Food Festival enjoys an exceptional reputation as a place for chefs, food businesses, journalists, farmers and food producers to come together. We are known for being an inclusive and welcoming event, delivering a delicious opportunity for people from all walks of life to explore and learn about food. Through an outstanding programme of activities, including product tastings, kids’ activities, masterclasses, hands-on cookery lessons and topical debates, they provide the inside track on food issues, offer new ideas about the future of our food and showcase rising stars emerging from the industry. Over the years, the festival has attracted top food heavyweights such as: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Jamie Oliver, Monica Galetti, Jane Baxter, Jose Pizarro and Valentine Warner, to name but a few. By engaging with influential chefs, commentators and journalists both nationally and internationally, they have grown to become one the highest profile food events in Britain. Find out more about this years food festival here.
October
Brecon Beacons Food Festival- 6th October
Brecon Beacons Food Festival is an annual event bringing the best food and drink producers in and around the Brecon Beacons together for the public to enjoy. As well as over 60 exhibitors the day includes a wide range of entertainment and celebrity and local star chef demonstrations. This free event is the perfect day out for the whole family! Discover more here.
November
Hay-on-Wye Winter Food Festival-22nd-24th November
This festival celebrates all that’s good about winter cooking, with stalls from local producers and free musical entertainment. Like Hay's Summer Food Festival, it's held outdoors in the Memorial Car Park in the middle of town. In past years, Father Christmas has been in attendance and the town's Christmas lights have been switched on at dusk. The programme will be released in October.
Royal Welsh Winter Fair-26th-27th November
The massive Royal Welsh Showground near Builth Wells gets festive in the run-up to Christmas with this cheery winter agricultural show. While the livestock breeders battle it out for the top prizes, you can browse the food hall for Christmas treats such as cheese, cookies and handmade artisan chocolates.
All year round
Outside festival season, you can buy fresh, local produce at our many food markets, agricultural shows and shops...
- Brecon Farmers Market-has a farmers market bi-monthly and its always a culinary treat! Find out more here.
- Usk Farmers Market-is also excellent! For more on the Usk market click here.
- Llangynidr Agricultural Show-August 26th-In the heart of the Brecon Beacons - the Llangynidr Show is a great day out for everyone and there's plenty of good food to enjoy. There's cookery demonstrations, sheep sheering and family activities, we are sure you'll be kept busy just deciding what to do next! More here.
- Brecon County Show-August 4th-The Brecon County Show is held annually on the 1st Saturday in August at The Showground, Watton, Brecon. There's over 200 trade exhibitors bringing you the best in British Farm Produce, a beer tent and much more-you will be sure to have a great family day out.
To find out more, visit our Shopping for food and drink page.
