The Burnham-On-Sea Food & Drink Festival returns to the town centre this Saturday (October 22nd) with a great line-up of entertainment, competitions and the best food and drink producers from across Somerset.
The ninth festival opens at 9am and is free to attend, and will provide a day-long experience with buskers, demos, workshops and over 120 stalls to explore in five indoor venues and at a large outdoor market.
Expect a fantastic selection of producers including stables like cheese, bread, chutneys and meats – but also cakes, chocolates, wines and pies. The outdoor markets will be full of the best street-food traders – from jerk chicken and low and slow BBQ to Japanese noodles, Russian kebabs and vegan treats.
The festival has also included a select few non-food stalls like wooden chopping boards and vintage kitchenalia.
The festival has also selected several traders who will be showcasing the perfect choice for Christmas day meals and gifts.
We spoke to the festival organisers and got a round-up of what to expect on the day and some of the highlights.
The competition hub will be The Cookery School in Princess Street. The Great Burnham Bake Off, sponsored by The Retreat Caravan Park, opens for entry drop offs at 9am. You have to have your loaf, cake or tart submitted, with a completed entry by 2pm. Judges, including the Development Cook at The Humble Pie Co. and four-times Bake Off winner Dusica Roberts, will be announcing the winners at 4pm. The festival is looking for family favourite recipes and a new pie flavour for The Humble Pie Co. Download an entry form for young bakers, adults or families from the festival website.
All visitors to the festival will have the chance to vote for their favourite trader and could win a years subscription to Somerset Life magazine. Collect a card from one of the friendly stewards and post your vote for Best in Show at one of the 5 indoor venues before 3pm.
At the Fresh Ideas Demo Stage, sponsored by Burnham’s KDS Interiors, the organisers have brought together six popular cooking talents, each bringing something they know the festival audiences will enjoy.
There is Manvenna Walia, founder of Somerset Curry Club, with spicy Indian flavours; Justin Reeves & Liam Finnegan’s cookery aimed at sharing the tips from award-winning kitchens; Apprentice contestant Alana Spencer’s story is an inspiration to all young entrepreneurs just starting out on their journey and Ben Fotre and Dan Shahin of UnitedQ – two guys who are so passionate about their cooking that fear that they may cook all night! All the chefs we have picked are skilled at sharing their tips, techniques and ideas and encouraging our audiences to have a go for themselves.
The festival always likes to have a few surprises and this autumn it will be hosting the Bridgwater Harley Davidson Owner’s Club. They will be parked up on the High Street – by the hog roast!
There will be lots of seating around the festival, plus buskers, a magician, children’s rides, a traditional Punch & Judy show (featuring Mike’s Pork sausages), a face painter, entertainers and a children’s play area co-ordinated by St Andrew’s Church. Plus giant tractors, lambs from Plotgate, ducks and turkeys.
Festival organiser Bev Milner Simonds said: “The introducing…Young Makers Market offers creative entrepreneurs aged 16-24 the chance to trade for free at the festival and get free business, finance and design advice. With the support of our partners The Design Hive and Nat West and a contribution from Burnham and Highbridge Town Council, we have finally been able to put young makers in the spotlight where we think they belong.”
The festival ends trading at 4pm – but the fun doesn’t stop then with the Ritz Social Club’s annual cider festival in full swing continuing into the evening.
Festival organiser Sarah Milner Simonds added: “Harvest time for many offers a chance to replenish the stores for winter. It is good to be reminded of the significance of harvest when you can buy asparagus in a supermarket all year round. For us, knowing that what we eat comes from where we live makes us feel secure, proud and connected to the land somehow.”
“We live in a very fertile place. We hope that by sharing our love of local food through this festival we can also share those feelings of security, pride and connectedness to the people who most need that now.”
The organisers are asking visitors to check the list on trusselltrust.org and bring donations to The Methodist Church on the day to donate to our local Foodbank.
Bev added: “We want our visitors to try, taste and buy the local goodies on offer, knowing that your money goes straight back into the communities that surround us and keep Somerset buoyant. These expert food producers are mainly based within 25 miles of Burnham-on-Sea and we hope that such a huge diversity of the highest quality produce might inspire us to look at the place we live a little differently. We all our visitors, traders and guests a wonderful day at the festival.”
To find out more about the festival, download trader lists, entry forms and maps visit www.burnhamonseafoodfestival.org.
