There’s so much happening on the food front in Northern Ireland these days that it’s sometimes hard to keep up. New inventive and talented chefs coming through. Local food and drink artisan businesses thriving. Here’s just a taster of what you’ll find when you get here...
Armagh’s Food & Cider Festival
The Orchard County comes into its own each autumn. That’s when the Food & Cider Festival hits town. Though, in truth, with its acres of orchards and appreciation of the Armagh Bramley Apple, every day here is a celebration of that wonderful fruit.
Still, to see just how much you can do with an apple, make a date for September. The city’s alive with open air markets, cookery masterclasses, tasting dinners and, of course, orchard and cidery tours. One of the highlights is the Bramley Apple Banquet.
Bushmills Salmon and Whiskey Festival
Or should that be Bushmills Whiskey and Salmon Festival. Never mind, either way it’s a match made in heaven each June. There are cookery demonstrations from local and celebrity chefs, whiskey tastings at the world-famous Bushmills Distillery, tours of the Bushmills Salmon Station and the best of fresh local produce at the Naturally North Coast and Glens Artisan Market. Plus mouth-watering live music and dance just to get you in the spirit of it all.
Belfast Mela at the Botanic Gardens
Every August, Belfast, and thousands of its visitors, come together to celebrate people and their diversity. Hosting music, dance, arts and culture from around the world, it transforms the Botanic Gardens, near Queen’s University, into a global space alive with the sights, sounds and aromas of the world.
The Slow Food Festival
Derry-Londonderry is where you’ll find this October festival of local, clean, fair food. The North West’s best producers will be on hand with their fantastic produce from farm, field, seas and rivers. There’ll be live cookery demos, street food tastings and plenty for the next generation of slow food cookers too – with kids’ activities, workshops, advice on healthy eating and more.
All things vegan
In June each year, Derry-Londonderry’s Irish Vegan Festival showcases everything from vegan dishes, cakes and desserts to housewares and bath and beauty products. Many from local restaurants, cafes, shops and traders, as well as from visiting producers and businesses. Plus there are talks, film screenings and advice on health and nutrition.
Hillsborough Castle and Gardens Food Festival
It would be hard to find a more spectacular setting for a food festival – or indeed any festival – than Hillsborough Castle. A working Royal Palace, it’s well worth taking a little time to tour the sumptuously refurbished State Drawing Room and Throne Room while you’re here. And, of course, the stunning gardens with their tranquil woodlands and heritage plants. Now, back to the food.
Northern Ireland’s vibrant food scene means there are hugely creative chefs and innovative food and drink producers wherever you turn. And many of them are right here, each July, along with international culinary stars and food experts. There’s live cookery on stage, inspirational talks and a whole lot of food tasting going on.
Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival
Celebrating the maritime heritage of the beautiful North Antrim Coast, the Festival, perhaps unsurprisingly, mostly takes place on the water towards the end of May each year. From sailing regattas to traditional currach racing, tall ships to Viking ships, there’s something for all seafarers out there. And, should all that sea air give you an appetite, something for all foodies back on shore.
On land there are guided walks and tours and a host of cookery demonstrations. Plus a craft and food market, featuring the mouth-watering local produce of this coastal region.
Taste Causeway
In a stunningly beautiful area that’s renowned for exceptional food and drink, cultivated by knowledgeable and passionate people, the Causeway Coast and Glens has a huge amount to offer visitors to these shores each October. Especially those with an interest in food.
Taste Causeway brings together all that’s happening in the local food world – from speciality markets to masterclasses and from workshops to supper clubs. So if there’s a food event on in the area, this is the place to find it.
A Potato Festival?
Yes, really. John Clarke, OBE, was a leading North Antrim potato grower. His story inspired the book ‘Potato Wizard’ by Maurice McHenry. It also inspired the formation of Potato NI and the introduction of the annual Northern Ireland Potato Festival each October – a tribute to the humble spud and a celebration of the life and work of John Clark.
A taste for something Georgian
Armagh’s Georgian Festival attracts crowds to the city every November. And it is quite an experience, taking in the best of Armagh’s Georgian history, heritage and architectural past. Merchants line the streets and artisan produce is on show in the dedicated food village.
The Great Georgian Banquet at Archbishop’s Robinson’s Palace is the star of the festival. It’s an evening of gastronomy like no other, with a sumptuous five-course dinner and fine wines, modelled on the menus of the time.
A Halloween Hotspot in Derry-Londonderry
Since its first Halloween carnival, 30 years or so ago, the city of Derry-Londonderry has grown to become pretty much the Halloween capital of the world. But even ghosts and ghouls have to eat.
Enter the LegenDerry Halloween Food Event – a cauldron of high quality ingredients and world-class authentic Irish food and drink. With a LegenDerry Food Village where you’ll find street food made with the finest autumnal produce to thrill all the family. And a LegenDerry Food Trail which sees the city’s chefs invite you in for a dish or two. It runs for a week. So that’s something new to get your teeth into every night.
St. George’s Twilight Market
The famous St. George’s Market, situated in a stunningly beautiful Victorian building, is one of Belfast’s oldest and certainly most colourful attractions. Always bustling by day, it becomes even more inviting as night begins to fall.
And so, at various times throughout the year, St. George’s Twilight Market takes place. It’s packed full of fantastic local artisan food and drink, inspiring cookery demonstrations, quirky arts and crafts, family entertainment and, of course, live music - well, it is Belfast. It’s a night out like no other, in a place like no other.
Indeed, much of Northern Ireland’s food-inspired events are like nothing you’ll find anywhere else. A bit like Northern Ireland itself. And that could just be why people seem to enjoy coming back.
