Bury Food and Drink Festival is back from Friday 18th July until Sunday 20th July - and it’s bigger and better in 2025 with over 70 traders taking over the town centre and transforming Bury into a hub of gastro adventures.
Building on the success of the inaugural 2024 event which saw an average 50,000 visitors attend the celebrations each day, this year's Festival will feature a huge Hong Kong Market at Kay Gardens, a brand new ‘beer and bands’ night on Bank Street and a programme of activity within some of the town’s fantastic food and drink businesses.
The weekend kicks off on Friday 18th July with Beers and Band on Bank Street from 6pm- 9:30pm, showcasing great local brews and bands with real Bury flavour. A totally free event, the street will be closed for the evening and given over to live local talent and brilliant Bury brews. The lineup includes up-and-coming local talent Urban Theory, Sky Valley Mistress and Shoehorn.
On Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th July, the unique Hong Kong Markets will be taking over Kay Gardens, offering vibrant Asian street food and culture from the Hong Kong region and beyond. Organised by Moliuliu’s Store, a Hong Kong grocery store in Bury Market, visitors canexpect an eclectic mix of food, gifts, jewellery and craft items. It’s the perfect place to celebrate Manchester’s Hong Kong community and introduce people to all the amazing flavours and cuisine from the region.
Meanwhile the Bury Food and Drink Festival markets will be taking over the Old Rock with over 70 food, drink, and craft traders expected to bring a huge and diverse range of artisan produce, local flavours and global cuisine to the area. Visitors can browse an array of delicious creamy and crumbly fudge from The Finest Fudge Co, enjoy the authentic flavours of Thailand from The Thai food van, or make the most of Sip & Sparkle’s Prosecco and Gin Bar.
The Festival main stage will be situated here too so visitors can hang out for a full day of incredible food all to a soundtrack of fantastic live music from the likes of ukulele band Uky Bobs, samba band Bloco Ashe, Joan and the Wad and acoustic duo Celebratory Cake.
Bury Market will be open on Friday from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm and Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm during the Bury Food and Drink Festival weekend, so festival-goers can stop by and experience all that one of the UK’s top food destinations has to offer. Boasting over 350 independent traders across its outdoor aisles and Fish and Meat Hall, expect an authentic, local market experience with everything from freshly baked cakes, pastries and pies to fresh fruit and vegetable, locally sourced fish, artisan cheese and Bury black pudding.
The Festival is also a chance to sample some of the Bury’s brilliant hospitality scene as they come together to celebrate the Food and Drink Festival. Expect The Art of Pasta making at The Met with the team behind Pasta Ferrazza on the 19th July, DJ sessions at Daily Grind on Sunday 20th July, and live music on the terrace at West Ivy running throughout the weekend.
Two full days of sizzling street food, global flavours and local makers await - from bold bites to sweet treats, there’s something for every food lover.
Nigel Shields, Town Centre Director at Bury BID said: "It’s a pleasure to be announcing the return of the Bury Food and Drink Festival to the town centre, and to be able to build on the success of last year’s event. We’ve got an exciting and diverse range of local, authentic traders joining us, showcasing the very best flavours and cuisine from Bury and all over the world. The festival is a fantastic addition to our town and what it has to offer - we can’t wait to welcome guests from far and wide across the weekend!"
Councillor Charlotte Morris, cabinet member for culture, the economy and skills, Bury Council added: "We’re delighted to bring the food and drink festival to Bury town centre once again. The fantastic range of businesses involved is testament to the strength of food and drink offering here in Bury, and the appetite (literally!) for exciting events. The festival will be a chance to explore Bury, support local business, try something new and enjoy flavours from all over the world. We look forward to welcoming visitors from Bury and beyond!"
Find out more here.