MORE than 40,000 folk flocked to last year’s second Castlefield Food Festival. This year organisers are hoping for 50,000 plus for the free, four day event, which kicks off on Thursday, May 11 and tuns until the 14th. Set around the Castlefield Bowl, it offers a tasty mix of demos and tastings, street food sellers and producers with some live music. The festival is free to attend with some special events selling tickets.
In honour of Visit England’s Year of Literary Heroes, Tea-Sup (is it tea or supper?), offers hands-on foraging and campfire cooking, Famous Five style, hosted by Festival Head Chef Robert Owen Brown and guests.
There are two evening sessions for this “unique two hour food experience” based at Castlefield Bowl – Cook Out Meat Menu Session (Thursday, May 11, lamb shwarma and pineapple cured sweet and sour chicken,) and Cook Out Fish Menu Session (Friday, May 12, smoked salmon, chilli BBQ squid and seabass with fennel and olives). With tickets priced at £24.75 inc booking fee, there are only 20 places available for each evening, so book early. Each session kicks off, naturally, with lashings of ginger beer – actually a complimentary ginger beer cocktail and concludes wit a campfire chowdown.
Pick of the booze offering is another pay-for event, Gin Ahoy, where local gin producers Zymurgorium are joining forces with the festival to jump aboard a barge for a two hour gin masterclass.
Elsewhere at the festival children will get their own (gin-free) masterclasses from the likes of Bobby’s Bangers, Ginger’s Comfort Emporium and Icky Sticky Cakes.
Castelfield Food Festival, Thu 11-Sun 14 May, The Castlefield Bowl, 101 Liverpool Road, Manchester, M3 4JN, Buy tickets for specific events here.