With 24 hours to go until the UK’s biggest Food and Drink Festival, take a look at the jam-packed itinerary and don’t miss out on a feast of flavours, family-fun and live music.
Taking place from Friday 22 to Monday 25 August, the FREE four-day extravaganza will celebrate its milestone 20th year, putting the spotlight on the town centre as a vibrant hub of global cuisine, live entertainment and activities for the whole family.
Celebrity TV chef, James Martin, will headline the final day of the festival on Monday 25 August and take to the stage for the 15th year serving up three high-energy live cookery demos at 11am, 1pm and 3pm – sharing some of his favourite dishes, tips, and trademark charm with fans.
Culinary legend and Michelin-starred chef, Marco Pierre White, will make his debut appearance at the festival headlining Saturday 23 August and will be hosting two live cookery demos at 11am and 1pm, followed by a Q&A session and Ploughman’s lunch at 3pm.
Saturday will see Helen McGinn, drinks expert and international wine judge, run a wine and cheese tasting extravaganza along with a wine tasting session with afternoon tea.
Following its success last year, Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is returning on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 August with limited tickets left for the Sunday show.
Alongside celebrity chef demos, Bolton’s Victoria Square becomes an open-air kitchen where some of the region’s best chefs - including Michael Caines, Kwoklyn Wan, Gill Howard, Aiden Byrne, The Baking Nanna, Christoph Hesse, Nicolas Urrutia and more, will showcase their culinary talents. No tickets are needed: festival-goers can simply turn up, take a seat and enjoy the action.
This year’s demos will also welcome special guests from Bolton’s twin towns of Le Mans (France) and Paderborn (Germany) with Celebrated chefs Nicolas Urrutia and Christoph Hesse.
Alongside the flavours is a full menu of family fun – almost all of it for FREE.
The Festival Garden offers a leafy escape in the heart of the town little ones can enjoy fruity snack making, s’mores toasting, clay boggart crafting, messy play and even a spot of worm hunting – mud kitchen included.
Inside the Octagon Theatre, the Family Festival returns for a special day of free entertainment. Expect live theatre, storytelling, arts and crafts and the ever-popular bubble-fuelled family disco. Tickets are free but booking is recommended.
Over in Elizabeth Park, from 11am-5pm each day, families can explore a giant sandpit, enjoy music and storytelling and get creative with games and crafts from Bolton’s Library and Museum – make sure you take the chance to visit the Bolton Food Hall over the road as well.
Young chefs aged 10+ can book on to ‘Cook & Dine’ sessions at the Albert Halls – where they will follow a live demo, prepare their own dish, enjoy it together and take home a drink and a food voucher to spend at the festival.
The festival is bringing together more than 180 traders to the town centre – serving everything from mouthwatering global food to sweet treats and vegan delights – there are also plenty of stalls providing gifts and presents for the whole family.
This year traders include Pudding & Pie who have been attending since 2011, Northwest Whippy who have built up a customer base from the festival, and Churtopia Churros who believe it is “the best organised festival in the country!”
Bolton Council Leader, Cllr Nick Peel, said:
“Each year Bolton Food and Drink Festival takes over the town on August Bank Holiday weekend with a fantastic range of celebrity and regional chef demos, special events, impressive traders offering incredible food, live music and free family fun.
“This year we celebrate 20 years of the festival and over those years the event has become award-winning which is a fantastic achievement.
“I’m looking forward to seeing everybody enjoying themselves, businesses thriving and showing what a great visitor destination Bolton is for all.”
More information, including tickets, can be found on the website: boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com
All schedules are subject to change.