Calling all foodies and food lovers. The Foodies Festival Comes to Blackheath Common with the British Street Food Awards 8th – 10th July.
Get your tickets now as the best of London’s street food will gather in Blackheath first time as Foodies Festival comes to Blackheath Common and hosts the South heat of the British Street Food Awards.
Foodies Festival launched in 2005 with a single event at an Edinburgh hotel after founder Sue Hitchen noticed a gap in the Edinburgh market for a food festival.
To date Foodies has welcomed over 2.5 million visitors and helped launch hundreds of new businesses and supported thousands of small producers. Founder Sue runs the family business from Edinburgh with her husband, four daughters and team of ten.
Tickets:
Tickets are on sale now at www.foodiesfestival.com or by calling 0844 995 1111
Street Food Avenue
A feast of international flavours and delicacies are served on the Street Food Avenue. Japanese, Thai, Malaysian, Argentinian, Turkish, Indian, Korean, Mexican, French and African are just some of the cuisines on offer and can be enjoyed in the Feasting Tent, ensuring hunger is banished and tummies are full.
There’s a special focus on Brazilian street food this year to celebrate the Olympic host’s cuisine, including traditional Brazilian BBQ and Rio’s favourite dish Feijoada made from black beans, salted pork, trimmings, smoked sausage and jerk beef, which is cooked in a traditional clay pot. Brazil’s national cocktail Caipirinha, a mix of lime, sugar and Cachaça (made from sugarcane juice with an ABV of 48%), and Brazilian coffees will be available.
British Street Food Awards
Across the three day festival, visitors can feast on signature dishes served from street food vendors and vote for their favourite to win the People’s Choice Award. A panel of experts will also judge the competing vendors for other categories including Best Main, Best Sandwich, Lifetime Achievement Award and Best Vegetarian Dish, with all the regional winners being announced late Sunday afternoon.
Drinks Theatre
Expert sommeliers Neil Phillips and Charles Metcalfe host champagne and wine masterclasses, and beer connoisseur and writer Melissa Cole offers entertaining craft beer tutorials with hourly sessions in the Drinks Theatre.
Artisan Producers Market
This year there are more award-winning producers at Foodies Festival than ever before with a glittering array of Great Taste Award winners available to shop and sample from, each being hailed as a producer of ‘Exquisite, Outstanding and Simply Delicious’ food and drink – a fantastic opportunity for visitors to meet artisan producers from the local area and across the country, learn their story and stock up on award winning produce.
New Vintage Tea Room and Cake, Bake & Tasting Theatre
A beautifully decorated new Vintage Tea Room offers visitors Afternoon Tea with a selection of cakes, scones with clotted cream and jam, and finger sandwiches served on china from a tea trolley by vintage styled tea ladies and gentlemen.
Into the Jungle
Festival goers can munch their way into the depths of the jungle this summer with a trip to the Vietnamese Street Food stand, where those with a taste for the exotic can indulge in insects, including grasshoppers, caterpillars, mealworms, beetles, scorpions, locus and ants.
For those brave enough, there’s a daily Bush Tucker Trial on the Challenge Stage, where visitors compete against one another by eating jungle insects, from small ants to large juicy grubs, with the contestant eating the biggest and the most being crowned champion.
Childrens Cookery School
The Olympic theme continues into the Childrens Cookery School, where little foodies can decorate their very own gold medal with coloured icing, glitter and edible ribbon. Pizza and cupcake making classes also allow kids to explore their taste buds and learn basic cookery skills to practice at home.
Chilli-Eating Challenge
The famous Chilli-Eating Challenge continues in 2016, inviting fans of spice to beat an eye-watering 16 million scoville record set by Shahina Waseem last year. Participants start at the low end of the chilli spectrum by eating bell peppers, but things quickly get a lot hotter with Habanero, Scotch and Carolina Reaper (world’s hottest chilli) chillies being added to the menu. Those still standing are then inflicted to pure chilli extract, increasing in strength, until a winner is crowned.
Live Music and Pop-Up Bars
After a day of feasting and fun, visitors can picnic on the grass with friends and soak in the atmosphere with live music from award-winning local bands at the Unsigned Music Awards Stage and a glass of bubbly or refreshing cocktail from the Giant Pimm’s Teapot or Mojito Ship.
Tickets:
Tickets are on sale now at www.foodiesfestival.com or by calling 0844 995 1111
Ticket prices:
Friday adult ticket £12.00/£10.00 concession
Saturday/Sunday adult ticket £16.00/£13.00 concession
Three day adult ticket £25.00/£18.00 concession
VIP day ticket £48.00/£45.00 Friday – includes a glass of bubbly with red carpet welcome, use of the decadent Deco Noir VIPLounge and Mirror Bar, refreshments throughout the day, priority entry to food and drink masterclasses, show guide, and goody bag to take home. Children aged 12 and under go free to all Foodies Festivals when accompanied by an adult.
Open times:
8th July 11am – 7pm
9th July 11am – 7pm
10th July 11am – 6pm
2016 venues and dates:
Brighton, Hove Lawns: April 30, May 1 & 2
Bristol, The Downs: May 13, 14 & 15
London, Syon Park: May 28, 29 & 30
Birmingham, Cannon Hill Park: June 3, 4 & 5
London, Blackheath: July 8, 9 & 10 (New)
Cheshire, Tatton Park: July 15, 16 & 17
Edinburgh, Inverleith Park: August 5, 6 & 7
Harrogate, Ripley Castle: August 19, 20 & 21
London, Alexandra Palace: August 27, 28 & 29
Oxford, South Parks: September 2, 3 & 4
2016 winter events:
London, Truman Brewery: November 18, 19 & 20
Edinburgh: November 25, 26 & 27