Food, glorious food. And what better way is there to indulge all your senses than with a holiday to Cornwall that coincides with any of the glorious array of food festivals in the Duchy, whose calendar of culinary events guarantees the most lip-smacking of stays?
Fast becoming one of the UK’s hottest foodie destinations, it’s no wonder why people are flocking to our far south-westerly shores for a slice of the gastro action. Top chefs, the freshest locally grown, reared and caught ingredients, and an abundance of artisan producers make it a one-stop-shop for all your food and drink fancies. And the added bonus? It’ll all be served up with a side of soul-cleansing sea air, Cornish hospitality, and to-die-for views.
Whether you want to sample some street food, hone your cookery skills with a demonstration by a top chef, or simply stuff your gills with the best food and drink available at a beautiful location to a live music soundtrack – a food festival in Cornwall provides the perfect opportunity for all.
Here’s our pick of food festivals in Cornwall to add to your calendar in 2024…
Bude Food Festival
Best for: Revisiting foodies
1st April and 11th August
The Castle, Bude
budefoodfestival.co.uk
Two for the price of one, Bude Food Festival is so nice we get it twice, with one foodie celebration on Easter Monday and one on Sunday the 11th of August. During this beloved feast day, a host of artisan makers and producers will be joining forces with street food vendors to create a supremely tasty festival at The Castle in Bude.
With a wide variety of treats lining the stalls, from locally reared sausages to toothsome cakes, you can enjoy the foods fresh at the festival or fill your bags with Cornish temptations to take home with you - you’ll even find some gourmet dog food amongst the offerings so everyone can enjoy the festival! Alongside the foodie delights, an array of local beer, cider, and delicious gins will ensure the drinks stay flowing.
Bude is surrounded by beautiful beaches and walks, giving you every excuse to explore the surrounding areas during your visit. We recommend using the festival to bolster your picnic supplies, before heading out for a magical meal on the wild north coast.
Porthleven Food Festival
Best for: Waterside entertainment
26th - 28th April 2024
Harbour Head, Porthleven TR13 9JA
porthlevenfoodfestival.com
The award-winning event continues to draw crowds from afar due to its picturesque location, eclectic entertainment and huge selection of top-notch food and drink.
A roam around Porthleven’s gorgeous Cornish harbour provides an instant feast for the eyes, while bellies can be filled with a moreish mix of foodstuffs. Meanwhile, the Chef’s Theatre will host the cream of Cornwall’s cheffing talent including Jude Kereama, Mick Smith, Olivia Barry, Guy Owen and Jack Stein.
From the epic Feast Nights at the Net Loft to the enthralling live music, this food festival combines the very best entertainment for a weekend of raucous fun. Plus, with Ann's Family Field presenting a range of free entertainment throughout the harbourside (Moors Field is closed this year to protect the ground after some heavy rainfall in previous weeks), all ages will be catered for with arts and crafts sessions, bouncy castles, circus skills workshops, face painting, pasty crimping classes and other fun activities.
Entry to the festival during the day is free and no ticket is needed, though donations can be made online, where you can also book your music, masterclasses, and feast tickets. Road closures will be in place, but a Park & Ride operates from Helston and Penrose provides a lovely walk into Porthleven, or you can stay in one of our lovely Porthleven holiday cottages for easy access to the action!
St Ives Food and Drink Festival
Best for: Beach-loving foodies
TBC 2025
Porthminster Beach, St Ives TR26 2BB
stivesfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk
St Ives Food and Drink Festival is taking a break in 2024, but will be back bigger than ever in 2025!
Falmouth Food Festival
Best for: Laidback vibes
24th - 26th May 2024
Church Street Car Park, Falmouth TR11 3EG
falmouthfoodfestival.com
Back for its second year, the Falmouth Food Festival is a homegrown celebration of delicious proportions. Taking over one of Falmouth’s car parks in May, this growing festival is full of good food, good people, and good music, making it a must for South Cornwall’s social season. Across the three days, a hearty mix of local artisans gather to fill the air with tempting scents, giving you access to some truly delectable delights, from freshly caught seafood to mouth-watering pizza.
Alongside the amazing food, a bevy of drinks will be on hand (and on tap) to wet whistles and refresh, including the many excellent pubs and bars that can be found throughout Falmouth. From microbreweries promising lip-smacking pints to soul-warming coffee roasted right here in Cornwall, there’s something for everyone at this burgeoning celebration of all things tasty.
With so much going on in and around Falmouth, including sandy beaches, beautiful gardens, and some of Cornwall’s top attractions, it’s worth making the most of your visit and exploring all this vibrant town has to offer.
Cornwall Street Food Festival
Best for: Street food foodies
24th - 27th May 2024
Barrowfields, Narrowcliff, Newquay TR7 2RZ
streetfoodwarehouse.co.uk/cornwall
The very first Cornwall Street Food Festival returns for its third year in 2024, spoiling visitors with twice the cause for celebration with dozens of the best local and national street food traders overlooking the ocean in the centre of the famous surf town.
Hosted by Street Food Warehouse, expect a mouth-watering assortment of cuisine from across the globe including Mexico, Afghanistan and – of course – Cornwall. In previous years, visitors have enjoyed the likes of Fire and Flank with their flame-thrown steaks, TheFatFoodie and their saliva-inducing burgers, and Crepe Cornwall, who serve up their French delicacy in signature style.
Taking this epic food fest to the next level in 2024, live music and evening entertainment will ensure there's something for everyone at this clifftop celebration, as well as some market stalls for those who fancy a little retail therapy during their visit.
In addition to a taste adventure, there will be oodles of things to see and do for all ages at one of north Cornwall’s most popular destinations, making this a firm family favourite for the diary.
Tickets can be purchased from the website, and each ticket includes a free reusable cup to help cut down on single use plastics. This is a cashless event, so remember your payment card. Dogs are welcome. Parking available nearby at Council Car Parks including Tregunnel, Lusty Glaze, Albany Road, Trenance, and Newquay Station.
Mevagissey Feast Week
Best for: Week-long feasting
22nd - 29th June 2024
Around Mevagissey
mevagisseyfeastweek.org.uk
As Cornish food festivals go, Mevagissey Feast Week might just be one of the oldest, with the epic event dating back over 250 years! With so much history behind it, this week-long festival has had plenty of time to perfect the humble food festival - and perfect it they have! Live music fills the air with foot-stomping tunes, while a myriad of stalls fill the pretty village with endless opportunities to taste, try, and, dare we say, feast!
A series of demonstrations provide a bit of inspiration for your cooking at home, while giant fish feasts offer the chance to dine without the dishes. A wonderfully family-friendly festival, there are always lots of activities to get the little ones involved, with a spectacular fireworks display delighting visitors of every age. One of Cornwall’s most beautiful villages, this is the perfect way to explore Mevagissey, with good food, music, and exhibitions leading you around the ancient streets. There are some lovely beaches nearby too, so you can always dip out and enjoy your spoils oceanside before heading back in for round two.
Rock Oyster Festival
Best for: Seafood foodies
25th - 28th July 2024
Dinham House, St Minver, Wadebridge PL27 6RH
rockoysterfestival.co.uk
Set on the stunning banks of the Camel Estuary in Wadebridge, the Rock Oyster Festival is a tantalising fusion of food, music, wellbeing and family-centred fun designed to pique the interests of all attendees.
Hosted by Jack Stein and friends, the three-day shindig will please palates with a bounty of Michelin-starred chefs, alfresco dining, cooking demos and street food. Visit the chefs’ tipis, experience alfresco dining like never before with the open fire cooking corner at Mussel Beach, embark upon a foraging tour, and devour a feast of fresh Rock and Porthilly oysters at Ranger’s Oyster Bar.
Headlining the music stage will be The Human League, Sugababes, and Bombay Bicycle Club, accompanied by Newton Faulkner, Arrested Development, Norman Jay MBE, William the Conqueror – and many, many more.
If you’re looking for an extra boost to your wellbeing, there’s a variety of workshops and treatments available, from yoga to massage and facials. Or, you can turn things up with a spot of coasteering, sea kayaking, or surfing. This is also a kid-friendly festival, so sign the little ones up for Under the Canopy’s epic survival activities, circus skills in the Jellyfish Field, and an epic range of art classes to expel their energy and unleash their inner creativity.
Falmouth Oyster Festival
Best for: Oysters!
TBC (usually in October)
Church Street Car Park, Falmouth TR11 3EG
falmouthoysterfestival.co.uk
Another of Falmouth’s incredible festivals to centre around food glorious food, Falmouth Oyster Week has grown over the years to become the powerhouse of a food festival that it is today. Naturally, oysters are the star of the show here, with seafood bars, shucking competitions, and a Grand Oyster Parade shining a light on this most beloved of local delicacies.
Don’t worry if oysters aren’t your jam, as a host of live music, Cornish foods, and local beers and wines ensure everyone is well and truly catered for. A series of chef demos will show you how to get the most out of your beautiful fresh Fal oysters, while the oyster bar allows you to feast on them - you’ll quickly discover why these oysters are enjoyed all over the UK. The festival is free to enter during the day, with tickets available for the evening sessions, which promise even more live music and festivities.
Fancy a foodie inspired holiday to Cornwall? Peruse our gorgeous selection of holiday cottages and start planning your next food-fuelled adventure.
Tags: Festivals