Nantwich Food Festival is set to wow the crowds

Following a wonderful 2023 Nantwich Food Festival, the Festival organisers have excelled themselves for Festival 2024.

The team sincerely thanks Nantwich Town Council and Cheshire East Council for their ongoing support that has been crucial to the Festival’s continued success. These thanks are extended to all the local sponsors, without whom, the Festival would not take place.

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 2024 one to be better, so be sure to keep the weekend of 30^th & 31^st August and 1^st September free:

Thanks to generous local sponsors, the 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 entry fees, the Nantwich Festival remains free to enter, even the Celebrity and TV Chef demonstrations!

The 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 - booked to demonstrate to us show just how good the demos will be this year.

Find out just how good, by checking the Festival website:

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

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 The White Lion Weston Cookalong Marquee and Food Court, located in the Love Lane area near to the Theatre and pillory.

In addition to the great masterclasses and tasting Cookalong events for adults, there is a welcome return of the Kids’ Italian Cookalong with Romazzino owner Peppe Possante; suitable for 6-11 year olds to learn how to make gnocchi, with adult supervision required.

This Cookalong session and many more are available for between £15-£25, which is used to cover the cost of the ingredients.

To find out more and to book your place, simply go to:  

www.nantwichfoodfestival.co.uk/cookalong/

Two large marquees, full of exhibitors from near and far are there to tempt us with their great products: the 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.

The town centre will again be arranged in a market-styled format, thanks to 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

When it comes to Festival Exhibitors, there is something for us all:

Are you searching for coffee, cakes or croissants? There will certainly be plenty to choose from

This year, there is not just one, but three exhibitors all ready to supply you with food for man’s best friend – yes 3 specialist dog-food suppliers.

Are you on the look-out for something really special? If so, perhaps VIP Wine Tours and Events would appeal.

Continuing the alcohol theme there are so many exhibitors to choose – from the local, delicious gins from Three Wrens Gin and Cheshire Botanicals, to Weetwood Ales with its popular range of ales. Then there’s the Classic Wine Company, Cwm Deri Vineyard, Bubbles and Punch and much more.

For non-alcoholic drinks you need to look no further than Mr Fitzpatricks and Jinger Drinks.

A new venture this year is the series of Food History Walking Tours in conjunction with Nantwich Museum.

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/

Another new initiative for 2024 is a variant on the town businesses Window Display Competition.

This year it’s down to the public to choose their favourite that shows the theme ‘Food’; shops and other business windows will be displayed in their finery from 16^th August onwards.

Just collect a flyer from one of the participating shops shown on the Festival website home page: 

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

...and vote for your favourite.

Then drop off your vote in the post box at:

Nantwich Cheese Shop, Hospital Street.

10 participating businesses are posted on the website and you can be in with a chance to win one of 3 great prizes donated by A T Welch deli, Nantwich Cheese Shop and Bizzybods.

Next up is the Lemon Drizzle Cake competition on Festival Sunday – this year, the renowned Bake-off judge, Cherish Finden will be one of the judges, who will work alongside Home economist Jill Weatherburn. All 12 places were snapped up within hours of booking opening, so there’s no chance for any late entries.

Our friends at Marks and Spencer Simply Food, Nantwich are kindly donating great foodie prizes for the competition winner plus those who are in 2^nd and 3^rd places, so the top 3 will go away with great prizes.

The Festival fold-out leaflet has proved more popular than the old style brochure, so the streamlined version is back again. Simply scan the QR code on the Festival leaflet to take you to a new-look website, where you can check out what’s on and where to find it.

Leaflets will be available over the Festival weekend and at the Festival stall at the Societies Spectacular in Nantwich Town Centre on August 17^th between 9am and 2pm

You’ll find a social media area in the Bowling Green pub garden organised by The Feed

There is still time to volunteer for this year’s Festival, and new volunteers are needed to cover all the work, so if you don’t see the team on Societies Day.

Contact the Volunteer Co-ordinator 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 1^st September. These awards, sponsored by KBA The Financial Planning Company, are much loved by the winners.

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

www.nantwichfoodfestival.co.uk

Yes the 2024 Nantwich Food Festival promises to be – if anything – better than usual!

• Since 2009, the festival has been run by not-for-profit Nantwich Food and Drink Ltd.
• Around 200 businesses have stalls located across Nantwich town centre during the weekend festival.
• The festival generates an estimated £2m each year for the local economy.
• Nantwich has one of the largest collections of historic buildings in Cheshire, with Elizabethan, Georgian and Victorian architecture throughout the town centre.
• There has been a market in Nantwich since 1720
• Around 100 unpaid, dedicated volunteers keep the festival running each year