Abergavenny is NOT your average food festival! First timers can sometimes be a little surprised to discover the festival site isn’t in the town of Abergavenny, it is the town. Markets, street food, cookery lessons, talks and debates, our festival fringe and all manner of tasty treats can be found around every corner, so comfortable shoes, and good hydration are a must!
Here are our top tips for festival newbies to make sure you don’t miss a thing.
Get your wristband and your highlighter out
We have a whole host of events taking place over festival weekend, from talks and debates on the current food climate, to wild forages, drinks tastings, cookery classes and demonstrations, many of which are Free when you buy your festival wristband Make sure you check out what’s on and when you get on site, grab a copy of our festival programme and a pen so you can mark down where you want to be when.
Get in early, leave late
If you don’t want to miss out on seeing some of the biggest names in food from Monmouthshire, across the UK and coming all the way from America, book your tickets early. Our events all have limited tickets available, so get in early to avoid disappointment.
And yes .. there will be evening street food markets and parties happening at the festival too!
Know your markets
We have not 1, not 2 but a whole host of separate areas, all packed with delicious stalls and demonstrations going on all day Saturday and Sunday. Get your map out and follow our festival signage to be sure to don’t miss out on The Market Hall and Upper Brewery Yard, Fish & Fizz, Cheese & Wine (with our new wine tasting stage), New Producers Market, Tiverton Producers Market, The Farmyard, Horsingtons Yard, The Castle, The Festival Farmyard AND our late-trading Street Food & Night Market. We’ll have plenty of stewards too, just ask someone in a crew t-shirt to point you in the right direction.
Don’t forget your wellies, or your sun-tan lotion
We’ll be making weather updates via our social media over the weekend, and we’ve got plenty of places to grab some shade, but don’t forget to have a look at the forecast before you leave home and bring your factor 50 or your mac accordingly.
Two legs good
Due to all the enticing smells and delicious delights, we can’t allow 4-legged friends into the festival, and they are not allowed to be left in cars at any festival car park. Make sure your dog is well looked after at home and keep your eyes out for a treat to take home for them.
Bring a bottle
We know you won’t go hungry at the festival, but make sure you don’t go thirsty either. Bring a reusable water bottle with you and you can fill it up at any of the water points marked on our maps. Canned water will also be available at our bars, but no single use plastic please!
Gather round the fire
We’ll have demonstrations going on all day at our Cooking over Fire area where you can get top tips from DJ BBQ, BBC TV’s Dirty Vegan and Sam and Shauna from Hang Fire amongst others. Come down and join our master of the flame, and then grab a spot by our Kadai fire bowl with a drink and some delicious street food safe in the knowledge you have festival’d well.