In just over a month’s time, Bolton town centre will be transformed into a bustling hub full to the brim of food and drink enthusiasts.
A weekend of delicious drinking and dining, family entertainment, market traders and some very special appearances from your favourite TV chefs - tipped to be the towns greatest festival yet.
Back and bigger than ever before, Bolton Council have pulled out all the stops to ensure the family-friendly spectacular returns with a bang for its 17th year.
With a jam packed line-up suitable for all ages, you can find our celebrity chefs and special events taking place at Albert Halls, with our music offering made up of two unique stages, our main stage on Le Mans Crescent and our acoustic stage on Victoria Square - featuring tribute performances from Elvis and the Rising Sun Band, Kazabian, Arctic Monkeyz and Appy Mondays - to name a few.
Taking place over the August bank holiday weekend - the festivities kick off on Friday 26th August for four glorious days of mouth-watering food and drink, with celeb chefs including The Hairy Bikers, Ainsley Harriott and James Martin, special events from Si King’s The King Cush Band, Afternoon Tea hosted by actress Lisa Riley and an extra special Faulty Towers Dining Experience.
Visitors can also expect free regional chef cookery demonstrations, a children’s marquee, over 180 stalls spread across the town and exceptional live music and street performers including comedy acts and mime artists.
Hosting one of the UKs biggest food and drink celebrations is a mammoth task, and none of this would be possible without the unrivalled support of the festivals’ sponsors.
This year we are proud to announce both new and returning sponsors for 2022, which include the nation's favourite family-owned bakers, Warburtons, generationally-conscious property developing group, Peel L&P, pizza specialists Stateside Foods, returning league one football club Bolton Wanderers and one of the UKs leading car dealership groups, Vertu Motors.
This is always a fantastic event for the whole town to enjoy – it’s great to be a part of it, and to be working alongside the Council and all the other event stakeholders.
Born and bread in Bolton (see what we did there), Warburtons bakery is still owned and run by the Warburtons family today. That’s five generations worth of baking, founded way back in 1876.
Brett Warburton, Executive Director of Warburtons, said: “Warburtons are proud to be returning again this year as sponsors of the Bolton Food and Drink Festival. So much of our heritage as a family-run business comes from this great town and we’re honoured to support an event that everyone within the local community can get involved with.”
Greater Manchester based regeneration business Peel L&P is working with local communities and partners in Bolton to improve health and prosperity in the local area through sustainable development, with ambitious plans for major events, healthy living and new green spaces for people to enjoy. Their multi-awarding winning homebuilder Northstone is creating energy efficient neighbourhoods in Westhoughton and Bolton.
Stephen Wild, Executive Director at Peel L&P, said: “We are very pleased to be working in partnership with Bolton Council and the other event partners to help deliver such a significant and well-loved cultural event in Bolton. From our exciting Hulton Park Happenings events programme, which will be filled with fun and exciting activities for the local community to enjoy; to seeing communities and friendships flourish through our homebuilding business Northstone; we are committed at Peel L&P to working with the wider Bolton community to unlock opportunities and bring forward exciting initiatives for local people and businesses.”
You might not be familiar with their name, but you most definitely will have tasted their pizzas. Stateside Foods supply own label pizzas ranging from snack size to wood-fired premium, to some of the nations biggest supermarkets.
Heather Middlehurst, Corporate Social Responsibilities Manager at Stateside Foods, said: “Bolton has been our home for over 30 years and the Food & Drink Festival is always a fantastic celebration of all things food and the wonderfully talented people creating it. We are very proud to return as a sponsor this year and look forward to being part of what is arguably Bolton’s greatest annual event.”
For the first time in five seasons, our town’s very own Bolton Wanderers Football Club have remained in League One for two consecutive years in a row - a pretty big feat if you ask us.
Neil Hart, Chief Executive Officer of Bolton Wanderers, said: “Bolton Wanderers are delighted to be sponsoring the Bolton Food and Drink Festival 2022. This is always a fantastic event for the whole town to enjoy – it’s great to be a part of it, and to be working alongside the Council and all the other event stakeholders.
Established in 2006, Vertu Motors are automotive specialists with new and used car dealerships spread across the UK. Providing everything you need to get from A to B safely and in style.
James Boyd, Head of Business at Vertu Bolton Jaguar Land Rover, said: “We’re proud to be supporting the Bolton Food and Drink Festival. This fantastic event brings the town and the wider community together and it’s something we are delighted to be involved with. Being part of the communities we work in is key to the success of our dealership and the Festival is exactly the sort of occasion we look to sponsor.”
Cabinet Member for Culture, Councillor Hilary Fairclough, added: “We’re delighted that the festival is back in all it’s glory this year; complete with celebrity chef’s and special events and it’s in no small part due to the fantastic team bolton effort that brings it all together. Not only do I want to express my personal thanks to this year’s sponsors I want to extend a very special thank you also to our partners GMCA, Clear Futures, Carrs Pasties, Francas, Bolton at Home, Marketplace Bolton, Greenhalgh’s, Wagamama, Bolton Community Leisure Trust and Rumworth School.”
For more information on the Bolton Food and Drink Festival please visit: www.boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com
Keep up-to-date by following our social channels: Twitter/Instagram @BoltonFoodFest and Facebook @BoltonFoodAndDrinkFestival