Nidderdale Show

Top 12 food and farming events to visit

A run-down of our favourite twelve food and farming events during the 2016 summer season..

1. Heathfield Agricultural Show

Held this Saturday 28th of May at Tottingworth Farm, Heathfield, East Sussex – you’ll need to get your skates on to make this one-day farming and food extravaganza – for more information check out their website heathfieldshow.org. There are a number of different attractions that might interest you when it comes to these events. Some shows have a judging panel for rating livestock, others have beagle hounds from the local hunt and others even have a tractor pull event. So if you’re interested in tractor pulling using something like a diesel sled puller, then be sure to do some research into this and see how you can participate in an event like this.

2. Grow London

Held on the 24th – 26th of June on Hampstead Heath, Grow London is more a gardening show aimed at a younger (urban) audience interested in growing food in small spaces (part-time urban farmers?). We love the concept and you can check out the highlights from our 2014 photo story here – For more information check out their website growlondon.com

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3. The Smallholders Show

Held on the 2nd – 3rd of July at The South of England Showground, Ardingly, West Sussex. We did a photo story on the event last year (as we were there to promote the Indie Farmer website and our monthly newsletter) – see here. And for more details check out their website smallholdershows.co.uk. We’ll be exhibiting again this year, with a selection of Indie Farmer merchandise, so come and see us and if you fancy getting an Indie Farmer t-shirt, sweatshirt or cap get down there early!

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4. Lambeth County Show

Held on the 16th and 17th of July at Brockwell Park in London – it’s one of London’s largest shows and has everything you’d expect at a county show including livestock from a selection of the City farms in London. This year we’ll be exhibiting in the farm zone for the first time so come and say hi and until then check out our photo story from 2014 here and for more details see their website lambethcountryshow.co.uk

lambethcountryshow

5. Jimmy’s Sausage and Beer Festival

Held on the 23rd – 24th of July on Jimmy Doherty’s farm in Suffolk. With a great line up of bands and a huge BBQ this festival offers a great day out in the countryside for all the family. For more details check out the website jimmysfarm.com.

6. The Port Elliot Festival

Held on the 28th July – 31st July at St. Germans in Cornwall. Set in a spectacular location, Port Elliot combines music, words, food, fashion, comedy, nature, art and history. For more details check out their website www.porteliotfestival.com.

7. Countryfile LIVE

Held at Blenhein Palace from the 4-7th of August – this new four day event is set to be a big showcase of the best of the British countryside. With over 8 million viewers tuning in weekly to the BBC’s Countryfile we’d expect this to be a popular event – for more information checkout the website countryfilelive.com

8. The Big Feastival by Jamie Oliver and Alex James

Held on 26th – 28th of August on Alex James’ farm in Kingham, Oxfordshire. The Big Feastival is an amazing 3 days of great music, food and entertainment – offering something for all the family. Check out our photo story from 2014 (when we dropped in on our Indie Farmer Road Trip) here. And for more details check out the website jamieoliver.com/thebigfeastival/

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9. Urban Food Fortnight

Held from the 9-25th September all over London. UFF is a series of events throughout London to celebrate the vast array of amazing food and drink on offer and organised by Sustain London. We went along for gin tasting tour at Sipsmith’s Micro Distillery in 2013 and a talk on Urban Farming at the Dalston Curve Garden. Check out the website for details on this years activities….sustainweb.org/uff/

10. The Good Life Experience

Held on the 16 – 18th of September on the Hawarden Estate in Flintshire, North Wales – founded by Charlie and Caroline Gladstone and the musician Cerys Matthews they launched last year to much fanfare. The festival celebrates music, food and the great outdoors and whilst we couldn’t be therecou last year we followed along on instagram and it all looked amazing (especially the axe throwing!!). Definitely one to check out this year – see their website thegoodlifeexperience.co.uk.

11. Abergavenny Food Festival

Held on the 17th and 18th of September Abergavenny Food Festival is the biggest and best loved food festival in Wales. The award winning festival now exhibits over 200 of the finest food and drink producers along with demonstrations from leading chefs and food experts. For more details check out their website abergavennyfoodfestival.com

12. The Nidderdale Show

Held on the 19th of September in the picturesque Yorkshire Dale village of Nidderdale. It’s a truly traditional agricultural show – check out our photo story for 2013 here and for more information check out their website nidderdaleshow.co.uk

 

nidderdaleshow