Festivals of food and drink
Discover the authentic flavours of our region at our superb annual festivals.
JUNE
Hay-on-Wye Summer Food Festival
This one-day gourmet gathering is well worth a visit. It’s limited to a relatively small number of local food, cider and whisky producers to ensure the quality is the best, and there’s entertainment from local brass bands, male voice choirs and folk musicians. As it's an outdoor event, the atmosphere is particularly festive in good weather. The venue is Hay's Memorial Car Park, in the middle of town.
SEPTEMBER
Abergavenny Food Festival
Abergavenny's weekend-long festival of food, drink and foraging already has an excellent reputation and, like good wine, it gets better every year. Expect beautifully stocked stalls, demos, talks and fascinating activities such as guided wild food walks. The programme also includes masterclasses from top chefs and food writers including some of Wales' finest culinary stars, such as Bryn Williams of Odette's in Primrose Hill, London and Matt Tebbutt of The Foxhunter, Nant-y-Derry. Even the decor - different each year - is a feast for the eyes. According to Observer Food Monthly, “Abergavenny is to food as Cannes is to film – an annual festival for spotting rising stars in Britain’s artisan food firmament.”
OCTOBER
Brecon Beacons Food Festival
The festival, now in its 20th year, promises a fantastic selection of local food and drink – some of the very best to be found in the Brecon Beacons National Park.
FREE to attend; Festival goers can look forward to sampling a range of produce from bread to beers and cheese to Welsh cakes with most items travelling less miles than the visitors themselves. Foody highlights will include cooking demonstrations from award winning chefs.
NOVEMBER
Hay-on-Wye Winter Food Festival
Held on a Saturday, this celebrates all that’s good about winter cooking, with stalls from local producers and free musical entertainment. Like Hay's Summer Food Festival, it's held outdoors in the Memorial Car Park in the middle of town. In past years, Father Christmas has been in attendance and the town's Christmas lights have been switched on at dusk.
ALL YEAR ROUND
Farmer's markets, farm shops, bakeries and delis
Outside festival season, you can buy fresh, local produce at our many food markets and shops. To find our more, visit our Shopping for food and drink page.