The Fairford & Lechlade Food & Drink Festival was the brainchild of the Fairford & Lechlade Business Club way back in October 2009. Its aim was to promote local businesses, attract more visitors to the towns and encourage them to spend more to increase the local economy.
The 2012 Food & Drink Festivals will be even better!
Look on the new Food & Drink Festivals website for more information - www.fairfordlechladefoodanddrink.co.uk.
- More diverse range of stalls
- Cookery demonstrations live on the big screen
- Live music
The 2011 festival was a great success!
Warm dry weather brought the crowds flocking to Lechlade Market Place on Sunday 1 May to enjoy the second Food & Drink Festival organised by the Fairford & Lechlade Business Club.
With over 30 stalls weighed down by delicious delicacies, the event was indeed a foodie heaven. Lechlade Garden Centre, the main sponsor, piled their stall high with FREE ploughman's lunches consisting of an assortment of local breads, cheeses, patés, chutneys, pickles and fruit.
Another free event was held at Pino's Italian Restaurant with free Italian food tastings and live music. Whilst further down the road, new wine shop, Vin Est, provided free wine tastings.
The assortment of produce was immense with chocolate products, home-made cakes, Cotswold ice cream, chutneys, sausages, burgers, confectionary, organic meat, home-baked pies, biscuits, Bangladeshi take-away, cup cakes, crèpes, bacon, ham, fudge, Turkish Delight, olives, baklavas, hog roast, organic vegetables, rapeseed oil, Swedish biscuits, hand-made sticky puddings, potted game all washed down with English wines, teas, coffees, real ale and liqueurs.
This wonderful gastronomic event was repeated in Fairford Market Place on Sunday 5 June with the addition of 7a chocolate brownies, cookery demonstrations throughout the day organised by Allium Restaurant, edible plants by Coln House School, delicatessen food by Deli Allium plus a children's pizza making competition, fruit and flower wines, fruit pies and crumbles, Indian take-away by Curry King and organic Brie cheese.
As well as having taste buds tickled by this amazing array of food and drink, crowds were entertained by the Farrell School of Irish Dancers and live music by Jackie Cribley (vocals) and Kirsty Hellon on saxophone. The Fairford Festival Parade of floats and fancy dress paraded the Market Place at midday and the whole event was blessed by the Rev Brian Atkinson and opened by the Fairford Town Crier and Fairford Festival Queen.