As March is the month where things begin to warm up, the best of the outdoor food markets are beginning to show their heads again.
From Bristol’s first dal festival that takes over a whole week to Edinburgh’s meats and beats festival that’s all about the music as well as the food in the form of burgers and hot dogs.
As well as newcomers, it’s also the return of the much-loved Legenderry food festival in Northern Ireland. Here’s our round up of the best.
The Big Cheese Festival Brighton, 3 March
From fondue to the classic grilled cheese, this festival is all about our favourite dairy product. Join international cheesemakers and guest chefs to learn more about artisan cheeses, and become the ultimate dinner party host by learning (and tasting) the best pairings of cheeses with complementing craft beers, wines, or liquors. Tickets available from thebigcheesefestival.co.uk
Cornish Pasty Championships Cornwall, 3 March
It’s the food icon of Cornwall: the crimped-edged pastry filled with meat and potatoes inside (for the purists), which can only be named so if it’s made in the motherland. So head to another of the county’s icons, the Eden Project, for the annual world pasty championships where you can eat your heart out, try modern takes on the recipe, pasty workshops to learn the skill yourself and watch competitions for the best pasty. For more information, visit edenproject.com/visit/whats-on/world-pasty-championships
Meats and Beats Festival Edinburgh, 9-10 March
Also known as the carnivorous playground, the Meats and Beats Festival is a meat-lover’s dream. Taking place at the Summerhall, the team behind it will create an outdoor street food village complete with a BBQ cooking up sizzling steaks, slow cooked brisket, pulled pork, chilli bowls and loaded nachos. And fulfilling the beats side of the promise there will be a dedicated dance floor with DJ’s will be playing music from each decade, just don’t get carried away and miss the hot-dog eating competition. Buy tickets at meatsandbeats.co.uk
Raw Wine Festival London, 11-12 March
For the health conscious and environmentally friendly drinker, the Raw Wine Festival is the perfect way to get to grip with natural, organic and biodynamics wines. With more than 150 artisanal winemakers from around the world, each agrees that all wines should be transparent, so consumers can know exactly what they are drinking,so you’ll be in expert hands to find your favourite. Tickets available from rawwine.com
LegenDerry Food Festival Northern Ireland, 17-18 March
This family-friendly event has a bold name, but it lives up to it every year thanks to copious awards. Several celebrity chefs, including Rachel Allen, Brian McDermott and Emmett McCourt will be hosting live cooking demonstrations, but the highlight is the Guildhall LegenDerry Food Fair, a market where you can sample and buy local produce from across Northern Ireland. For the kids, there’s a cupcake making workshop and street animations. Find more information here: derrystrabane.com/Subsites/Food/LegenDerry-Food-Festival/LegendDerry-Food-Festival-(1)
British Dal Festival Bristol 19-24 March
For the first time, Bristol will be overtaken for a week by our favourite Indian warmer, dal. Schools will be learning how to cook it with competitions to become the dal champion, while many of the city’s best restaurants will be taking part in the Dal Trail, including Pear Cafe and the River Cottage Canteen. The Thali Cafe will be serving up a free dal lunch at the Farmer’s Market and the week will end with a bash at the Grand Dal Finale on 25th with plenty of pulse-based street food, market stalls, children’s activities, food demos and dal wisdom from top chefs and experts including Romy Gill OBE, Krishna Dutta and Claire Thomson. But tickets at britishdalfestival.com/dal-festival-events/grand-dal-finale
Deptford Craft Beer Feast London, 24 March
What’s better than cracking a cold one and enjoying jerk chicken on a Saturday afternoon? Nothing. This event, held in the up and coming area of Deptford has brewers including Hop Stuff Brewery, Five Points, and Brick Brewery. While sipping on your favourite beer, make sure to grab some grub at one of the many food trucks. The best part? Entry to the festival is free for all. Find more information deptfordmarketyard.com/deptford-craft-beer-feast
