Waterford Festival of Food announced their 2024 programme, with 80 food events and activities centred around Dungarvan and surrounding areas of Waterford, aiming to connect people through food.
The festival, to be held from 19th to 21st April 2024, includes guided taste tours, kitchen table talks, guest chef dining events, sustainability workshops, pop-up experiences, foraging trails, live cooking demos, and a large outdoor market.
New events for this year include an exhibition of local food heroes, a taste tour in the Comeragh Mountains, tribute lunch for female entrepreneurs, a music and food pairing event, fitness event with Karl Henry, iconic English chef guest dining event, guided food tours, kitchen table talks with well-known faces, storytelling evening, and a root to tip dinner.
The festival aims to celebrate food and its community connections, featuring events for all ages, accessibility initiatives such as a mobile sensory unit and a signed cookery demonstration, and support from various sponsors and partners.
The festival’s main hub is Dungarvan, with events also taking place in nearby areas like Lismore, Villierstown, Kilmeaden, Cappoquin, and Ardmore, showcasing the flavours and characters of the local food region.
The festival will offer a diverse range of events, including talks, demonstrations, dining experiences, and family-friendly activities, supported by funding from Taste Waterford, OPW, sponsors, friends circle and the community. Highlights include:
- Behind the Bite Exhibition: Black and white portraits of local food trailblazers captured by photographer Joleen Cronin.
- Celebrating Trailblazers Lunch: Honouring female entrepreneurs in the local food industry hosted by Georgina Campbell.
- Conor Spacey’s Root to Tip Dinner: Culinary event focusing on using all parts of vegetables.
- Flahavans Sponsored “Fit for Breakfast” event with Karl Henry: Workout session followed by a nutritious breakfast at 360 Cookhouse.
- Jerry Fish and the Electric Sideshow: Musical event featuring Jerry Fish, local restaurants, and sustainability initiatives.
- Kitchen Table Talks with well-known faces from the Irish food scene: Conversations with established figures in the Irish food industry.
- Mountain Splendour Taste Tour: Guided tour in Comeragh Mountains meeting food producers and enjoying lush scenery.
- Rowley Leigh guest chefs at The Tannery: Iconic British chef guest chefs at The Tannery in Dungarvan.
- Storytelling Evening with Craicly Stories: Unique storytelling event with food producers and growers sharing experiences.
- Taste Waterford ‘Walk, Talk and Taste Tour of Dungarvan’: Guided walking tour with local food stops and heritage stories.
- Taste Waterford Deno Stage presented by Richard Povey: Series of food talks and demonstrations curated and presented by Richard Povey.
Check out the full programme on waterfordfestivaloffood.com. Most require advance booking and sell out quickly. Tickets are available to buy on the website from Tuesday 12th March at 2pm.
