This year the Manchester Food and Drink Festival celebrates its 17th birthday with a huge, city-wide event, spanning 12 days from 18 29 September. As it's such an exciting event , with so much going on, we've broken it down into two sections; firstly, what's on at the Hub, and secondly, the associated events spanning out across the city centre.
Festival Hub on Albert Square, Thu 18 Sun 28 Sep
Albert Square will once again be the location for the Festival Hub, with an ever-changing mélange of food and drink taking place across the festival period. Its a free festival designed for Manchesters enjoyment - a little foodie neighbourhood built especially for the city, which will stand for 10 full days.
Highlights of this year's menu at the Hub include the Festival-long Thwaites Festival of Beer, (Thu 18- Sun 21 Sep) which sees new Festival sponsors Thwaites bringing their brews to the Festival. More beer is on offer at the 100 Greatest Beers Bar, (Mon 22- Sun 28 Sep). This special event offers a banquet of beer. As well as creating the biggest gourmet food court in the city via dozens of street food traders, bars and entertainment, MFDF plan to create a proper, pop-up restaurant, called Fest-aurant. The space will also be used for demonstrations and masterclasses including a highlight event hosted by Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs Hotel Football which is set to open next to Old Trafford in November.
Special guests
The Hotel Football team, including creative director and two star Michelin chef, Michael Wignall, executive chef Brendan Fyldes and a surprise guest, will be staging a live cookery show. The event will allow festival goers a sneak preview of what they can expect from this new opening which Philip Neville, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes are also involved in. More details will soon be released.
Northern Quarter stalwarts Blue Pig will be bringing an illustrious drinking experience to The Hub, crafted and built especially for MFDF. The Blue Pig at the Hub (Thu 18 - Sun 28 Sep) will be found in the Drinking Den Marquee providing a hideaway for cocktail lovers. Expect a taste of all things Blue Pig carefully crafted cocktails, exotic surroundings and of course, the Blue Pig himself.
The ever-popular street food market will return to the Festival Hub for the duration of the Festival too. Selected traders from Manchester and around the UK, mixed in with some of the regions best restaurants, will bring eclectic, magnificent cuisines to the Square with more than 30 visiting altogether. Look out for Hip Hop Chip Shop, Piggie Smalls, Los Churros Amigos, Fundi Pizza, Mumma Schnitzel, Fair Game, Chaophraya, Alberts Chop House, Dirty Dogs, Crepe Lucette, V Fresh, Spilt Milk, Reds True BBQ - and many more.
Magners and Shepton Mallet cider will also be on site bringing their cider range to the Festival in a bespoke bar plus theyll be presenting a bonanza of entertainment too with the live music, give aways and lots more fun .
Out and about
This year sees the Festival take over Brazennose Street, the perfect pedestrian approach to our Hub on Albert Square. There are a number of mini-festivals planned for this space too, including Manchester Cheese Festival (Thu 18 Tue 23 Sep). Brazennose Street will be transformed into a cheese lovers heaven complete with independent suppliers from across the UK. This is a Festival first complete with Cheese Challenge Competition - and a crowning ceremony for the Festivals favourite cheese of 2014. For the second half of the Festival, Brazennose Street will be home to the Chocolate Festival (Wed 24 Sun 28 Sep) with a village-fete style celebration of the best artisan chocolate makers around.
Planning ahead.
There are three events to book now for at this year's Festival.
1. Liquor Market, Elixir, Sat 27 Sep
After a successful first year, The Liquor Market returns, popping up in the decadent surrounds of Elixir bar on Deansgate. An opportunity to dive into the world of boutique spirits with guidance from the UK's best brand ambassadors with everything from single malts to rare rums on show. Tickets are £10, which includes a sampling glass and lots of tastings as well as entry into 'The Liquor Market After Party' which Elixir will be hosting from 6pm-8pm, serving canapés to soak up all those spirits.
Book here now
2. Big Indie Wine Fest, New Century Hall, Fri 26 - Sat 27 Sep
In its seventh year, the ever-popular Big Indie Wine Festival will be hosted for the very first time by New Century Hall, the events venue for NOMA. The fair is a celebration of exciting, exclusive and boutique wines brought to you by the best independent merchants. It's a chance to try mind-blowing wines that you won't find at your local Tesco. Look out for Reserve Wines (run by the BBC Food and Drink's wine expert, Kate Goodman), Corks Out, family produced French wines from Tour de Belfort, Pacta Connect's impressive Adriatic collection, the expertise from Commanderie de Bordeaux in Manchester and Bolton's award-winning boutique, T Wright Wine. Sessions run Fri 26 Sep, 6pm-9pm, Sat 27 Sep, 2pm-5pm, Sat 27 Sep, 6pm-9pm, £12. Book here now
3. Gala Dinner, Manchester Town Hall, Mon 29 Sep
The Gala Dinner will once again close the Festival with Awards being made in 12 categories. The MFDF Awards continue to provide the benchmark for excellence in the Manchester hospitality industries.