Nantwich Food Festival is set to wow the crowds for the final weekend in August

Following a fabulous 2024 Nantwich Food Festival, the organisers have excelled themselves for Festival 2025.

The team is sincerely grateful to Nantwich Town Council for their ongoing support that has been crucial to the Festival’s continued success. Their gratitude also extends to all the local sponsors, without whom, the festival would not take place.

Thanks to this support, the all-volunteer festival team has been able to arrange amazing celebrity and local chefs, high quality entertainment, a Park and Ride system that keeps the town centre as clear of Festival traffic as possible and yet still hold the festival within the centre of Nantwich’s lovely and historic market town.

Whereas most comparable food festivals charge often sizeable entry fees, the Nantwich Festival remains free to enter, even the Celebrity and TV Chef demonstrations!

The festival fold-out brochure is light and portable; just scan the QR code on it to take you to the website, where you can check out what’s on and where to find it.

So, what’s newsworthy at this year’s Nantwich Food Festival?

A state of the art Reaseheath College Food Theatre at Love Lane will host all the chef demonstrations with plenty of seating under cover, so whatever the weather, visitors are sure to have a great time. The high quality chefs – both celebrity and more local ones – offer diverse and excellent demonstrations; find out just how good, and check for your personal must-see choices by exploring the festival website:

https://www.nantwichfoodfestival.co.uk/eventslist/

If you haven’t yet booked your place on one of the eagerly anticipated Cookalong places, now is the time to do so as places are filling up fast. These master-classes will take place in Le Gruyère Cookalong Marquee, located in the Love Lane area near to the Theatre and pillory.

• • If you want to learn how to cook Italian food, then why not try either Guiseppe Trovato’s arancini masterclass or pizza making with Jordy’s – or book a place on both! Interested in Greek cooking? Then join Spyros from St Martha’s for his Cookalong. For French food with a decidedly cheesy theme, then go for one of Le Gruyère’s Cookalongs eg their summer inspired fondue.
• • There is a welcome return of the Kids’ Cookalong with both Romazzino and Reaseheath hosting sessions; adult supervision is required.
  • To find out more and to book your place on one of the many Cookalong sessions, simply go to:
  •  www.nantwichfoodfestival.co.uk/cookalong/

When it comes to Festival Exhibitors there is so much to see and taste:

• Two large food courts, full of exhibitors from near and far are there to tempt us with their great products: the AFH Wealth Management (formerly Applewood Independent) and Hall Smith Whittingham Marquee in Love Lane, and the Mornflake Pavilion at the Bowling Green area. High quality live music from the adjacent stages by both marquees will be sure to keep us entertained; these are hosted by Silk 106.9 to keep the music and festival atmosphere just how we like it.
• The town centre will again be arranged in a market-styled format, thanks to continued sponsorship by Boughey Distribution; this type of layout is so popular with visitors and with the surrounding businesses that it’s again part of the plan. Plus, of course you can shop or just browse while enjoying the music and other entertainment right there in the centre of town
• With all the Festival Exhibitors housed in and around these areas, there is something for us all, with a record 215 exhibitors expected: 
• Discounted stall prices are offered to most Nantwich and local artisan exhibitors, though these exclude e.g. alcohol sellers and ‘instant consumables’ (street food to be eaten on the spot). 
• In conjunction with Nantwich Town Council, and for the first time, the festival is offering a free "youth stall" in the town square to encourage young budding entrepreneurs.  See social media for updates.
• Plenty of New-to-Nantwich exhibitors will be evident this year; these include:
• At Bowling Green area: HMPasties is more than just a pasty & pie shop; it is a social enterprise on a mission to reduce re-offending by providing meaningful employment to ex-offenders. Each pasty, pie, and sausage roll is lovingly handcrafted by people who are given a second chance in life, and every bite supports their cause.
• For South Indian street foods and curries, see Nourish by Sumith
• At Love Lane area new exhibitors include: Nantwich farm based Sorrento Pizza that offers seasonal and plant based pizza as well as classic favourites; they always have a Special on the menu. Still at Love Lane do try Widnall Bakery’s cruffins - a cross between a croissant and a muffin; they are amazing
• Over in the town square: New-to-Nantwich Harry’s Hot Honey isn’t to be missed as is Tea Reef, for loose leaf herbal & green teas and more

The Loyal, and Very Local, exhibitors will be there too:

• At Love Lane area you’ll find great cakes from Baked by Gill, Halloumi fries from Halloumination, Crave Coffee, luxury sauces from S A Sauces and wonderful creations from La Dolce Vita Pasticceria. Town square Loyal Locals include Food for Thought Bakery and  Cara Miss-Italian Sweet Treats, whereas over at Bowling Green area you’ll find Loyal Locals including Cheerbrook, Three Wrens Gin and – of course – Mornflake. 

After the success of last year’s Food History Walking Tours in conjunction with Nantwich Museum, they will be repeated.

If you like history and food and want to hear more about Nantwich's rich food heritage, then just book your place via: 

https://www.nantwichfoodfestival.co.uk/eventslist/

Nantwich Museum also has a range of talks and workshops, some with a food theme, that can be booked via:

https://nantwichmuseum.org.uk/events-2/

The Town Businesses Window Display Competition is a popular August feature and you are invited to choose your personal favourite.

• Shops and other business windows will display their finery from 15th August onwards. Just collect a flyer from one of the participating businesses and vote for your favourite. Then drop off your vote in the post box at Nantwich Cheese Shop, 12 Hospital Street.
  • Everyone who posts a voting form is entered into a draw to win one of 6 £25 vouchers for local food retailers 
  • Voting opens on 15th August and runs through to the end of the Food Festival on 31st August

Turning to the live music stages now, which are sponsored by Snugbury’s at Love Lane, and by Utowpia Caravans and Motorhomes for the Bowling Green area. These provide high quality live music to appeal to all tastes throughout the weekend; Radio Silk 106.9 will be at the helm, ensuring that the transition between musicians works seamlessly.

• Expect to enjoy many great acts including: Wayne and the Hairy Peaches, Megan Lee, Kelley Tigerheart, Baxter, Tokyo Misfires plus many more solo artists and bands – you will be spoilt for choice.
• Oscar Phillips, great lead singer for The Dodgems will feature solo plus with the band; expect indie rock, young, very talented and loads of energy.
• Don’t miss Unit 17 - a five-piece indie rock n roll band from Nantwich, made up of close friends who met during school and bonded over a love of guitar-driven music. Named after the rehearsal space where their sound first took shape, the band draws influence from the attitude of Britpop and the raw edge of modern indie, with nods to Oasis, Stereophonics and Sam Fender
  Their newest single, I Need A Taste, released in mid-2025, was recorded at Kempston Street Studios and captures the band's distinct blend of energy, grit and melody.
• On Saturday afternoon do watch The Savaloys, who made a name for themselves in the late 80s on the South Bucks scene; now back together with a new drummer, new songs but the same trademark passion. They expertly craft indie/rock/goth classics – definitely one to catch. Pistol Pete Wearn and Olly Parry are a must-see duo on Friday, as are Vavoom playing Saturday evening and Shakermaker on Sunday evening.

Nantwich Food Festival’s live music 2025 has it all - from the delicate, oozy tones of Lucy Bevan to the high energy of Mad Dog Davies Band, this will be a not to be forgotten musical experience!

Find out all the great line-up for music and much more at: 

https://www.nantwichfoodfestival.co.uk/eventslist/

If you are interested in volunteering, there is still time to volunteer for this year’s Festival, and new recruits are needed to cover all the work, so if you didn’t see the team at either the Farmers Market or on Societies Day, just contact the Volunteer Co-ordinator to offer your help at:

volunteers@nantwichfoodfestival.co.uk

Finally, if you haven’t yet voted for your favourites for the Nantwich Food Awards, you don’t have too much longer, as voting closes on 31st August. These awards are much loved by the winners.

Just go to the Festival website to choose your favourites and be sure to vote:

https://www.nantwichfoodfestival.co.uk/food-awards/

Yes, the 2025 Nantwich Food Festival promises to be – if anything – better than usual! The photographs remind us just what a great 3 day weekend was had by all at the last Nantwich Food Festival, but we can expect the 2025 one to be better, so be sure to keep the weekend of 29th, 30th & 31st August free!