Fishguard Bay Food and Drink Festival 2023
A brand new celebration of local produce takes place in 2023
If you’re anything like us, you’ll love a good food festival. Quality produce, plenty of tastings and lots of exciting events - what’s not to love? So, you can imagine our faces when we discovered that a brand new festival is being launched right here in Pembrokeshire; the Fishguard Bay Food and Drink Festival.
In Pembrokeshire, we have our fair share of food festivals throughout the year. There’s the annual Narberth Food Festival in late September plus two Street Food Festivals; one at South Beach in Tenby in June and another at Milford Waterfront in August. Over the years we’ve seen the likes of the Really Wild Food Festival (we miss that one!) and Pembrokeshire Fish Week which promises a comeback sometime. Plus there’s the Cardigan River and Food Festival every August - okay, we know the last one is just across the border but it’s only a breath away so we’re claiming it as one of our own!
When and Where?
Hosted by Visit Fishguard, the inaugural Fishguard Bay Food and Drink Festival is set to take place over a two-week period between the 21st of October 2023 and the 4th of November 2023. Events are scheduled across the fortnight with more and more details being announced as the time nears. One thing we can tell you that we know you’ll be pleased to hear is that the famous Fishguard Cawl Crawl is back!
This event, organised to showcase the diversity and the quality of the produce that is local to the area, is designed to celebrate all things foodie in Fishguard. The ethos this year is “local, sustainable, nutritional” so expect plenty of home-grown goodies, farming families and local growers sharing their delicacies and expert makers providing top tips.
The Festival Programme
Kicking off the Fishguard Bay Food and Drink Festival is a Producer’s Market on Saturday 21st October. Head to Ysgol Bro Gwaun between 10am and 4pm where you can purchase a wealth of tasty treats such as cheeses, chutneys, bakes and wines.
On the topic of wines, Ffwrn is hosting a Drinks Event on the 27th October between 6pm and 11pm. As well as sampling a variety of local beers, spirits and wines, you can also enjoy live entertainment and tuck into sharing platters of tapas.
Saturday 28th October is all about one of Wales’ most iconic dishes; cawl, of course! Now in its 15th year, The Fishguard & District Round Table are bringing the particularly popular Cawl Crawl back to the town. One of the most beloved events in the Pembrokeshire events calendar, the Cawl Crawl involves various establishments in the community putting their homemade cawl forward to see who takes home the title of “Best Cawl”. Cawl-lovers can buy a bowl and start their crawl around each venue before casting their votes to determine which venue wins. Takes place between 11am and 4pm.
Also on the 28th, an Autumn Craft Fair is being held at the Town Hall from 10am and 4pm, plus Nourish Bakery is set to hold a Sourdough Clinic. Between 11am and 4pm, bakers Charlie and Monika will be sharing their tips and advice for making delicious sourdough. There will also be an exhibition on “The Role of Food and Wine in Faith” available at St Mary’s Church for the entire duration of the two-week festival.
For those of you looking to learn a little more about the history and the landscape of the region, you’ll want to attend the Goodwick Land, Sea and Food Pilgrimage on Sunday 29th October. Welcomed by a glass of homemade mead, you’ll set off from The Rose and Crown in Goodwick at 11am to follow a route around the moor and Parrog. A packed lunch is included so make sure you book a place on this ticketed event in advance.
Fishguard’s local Ladies Circle are putting on a fantastic Progressive Supper, scheduled for 1st November from 6pm. Tuck into three courses, each one being presented to you at a different venue allowing you to sample the wealth of cooking talent from across the town. Again, this is a ticketed event so head to the website to secure your place.
Experts from Car Y Mor, an innovative seaweed farm based on the St Davids peninsula, and the Sea Trust Wales, based at Ocean Lab in Goodwick, will be taking part in the Seaweed as Food, Film & Discussion event on the 2nd November. The town’s independent arts centre, Theatr Gwaun, plays the hosting venue for this event between 6pm and 8pm.
Throughout the entire two-week festival, foodie establishments throughout the community will be offering their own version of “The Fishguard Dish”. Created with only one aim in mind; to showcase the incredible produce and dishes available in the region; pubs, restaurants and cafes across Fishguard and Goodwick will be offering their own individual take on “The Fishguard Dish”. What an excuse to take a night or two off cooking!
To commence the Fishguard Bay Food and Drink Festival, Ffwrn is opening it’s doors for The Festival Supper on Saturday 4th November. Three budding chefs from Pembrokeshire College will share their “Fishguard Dish” creations. Having been guided by celebrity chef, Alex Cook, you can enjoy a three-course delight to celebrate the finale of the town’s new food festival.
Find out more
To find out more about the Fishguard Bay Food and Drink Festival or to purchase tickets for the few ticketed events, head to the Visit Fishguard website here. It promises to be an excellent event and we have it on good authority that there may well be a few extra surprises that are not listed in the full programme online.
Coastal Cottages Holiday Cottages in Fishguard
Fishguard, previously a Viking settlement, is a small and friendly coastal town which comes to life on market day (Thursday). The small shops, galleries and restaurants are of particularly high quality and the town also hosts a fantastic annual international music and arts festival in July.
