It’s back! After what feels like an awfully long time, the St Albans Food and Drink Festival is on!
For the entire month of September, there are fantastic events to go to, showcasing the very best of our local food and drink scene. There are small, indie pop-ups happening all over the city and district, and some big events too here are some of the highlights.
Tom Kerridge’s Pub in the Park takes place this weekend in Verulamium Park.
Local restaurants including Thompson and Lussmanns will be serving up tapas-style versions of some of their most popular dishes alongside celeb chefs including Atul Kochhar, Stephen Terry, Andrew Pern and Candice Brown.
Festival-goers can expect cookery demos from Tom Kerridge, James Martin and Candice Brown, and there will be live music from All Saints, The Lightning Seeds, Faithless, Basement Jaxx, Brand New Heavies, Judge Jules and local band Princes to Kings. To book tickets, go to pubintheparkuk.com.
The St Albans Street Feastival will return on Sunday September 26 on St Peter’s Street, right in the heart of the city, between 12 noon-6pm.
It is free to attend, and there will be live music, cookery demonstrations, Oaklands Farm, hot food stalls, pop-up bars and much more. So put that one in your diary! It is always hugely popular, whatever the weather.
There are loads of smaller events too around the city. Why not book for a Supper Club with chef Harry Lumsdon on Sunday September 12, 6.30pm, at The Great Northern, London Road.
Harry’s menu will focus on British fish, sourced from local company Stickleback Fish. The menu includes Cornish scallops, Cornish mackerel tartare, Mersea oyster emulsion, and more. Tickets are £45, and email enquiries to harrylumsdon@hotmail.co.uk.
The Harpenden Food Festival will be on Saturday September 18, 12 noon-4pm. There will be 70 food stalls, including fresh market-stall produce, street food and outdoor bars, along with a music stage, cookery theatre and a pop-up beach.
Oaklands College is holding a Farm to Fork event on its campus on Hatfield Road on Saturday September 18 10am-3pm. You will be able to see their livestock, buy fresh produce and watch cookery demonstrations. Free entry.
The Fleetville Food Festival takes place on Sunday September 19, 12-6pm at the Fleetville Recreation Ground, Hatfield Road. Come along to this brand new event for street food and entertainment including Bollywood dancers. Free entry.
A Real Street Food Night will round off the festival on Thursday September 30 4-8pm on Market Place, with hot food stalls, a DJ and festival vibes.
For beer enthusiasts, the CAMRA Beer Festival is slightly different this year, with events focused in the local pubs. For example, on September 24-26 there is a mini beer festival in conjunction with Bedford’s Eagle Brewery at The Great Northern.
Local beer legend and Herts Advertiser columnist Roger Protz is hosting three events including Protz on Beer on Tuesday September 28, 8pm, at The Robin Hood. He will be discussing a range of beers, including bitters, golden ales, IPAs, stouts and porters, examples of which will be available to sample on the night. Free.
The Joy of Beer is the next evening on Wednesday September 29, 8pm, at Ye Olde Fighting Cocks. This talk will include five beer samples. Tickets are £10, pay on the night. Roger is also hosting a Beer Dinner at Lussmanns St Albans on September 30 – check their website for more information.
For more events and information go to www.enjoystalbans.com/things-to-do/st-albans-food-and-drink-festival. See you there!
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