Foodies Festival – the UK’s biggest touring celebrity food and music festival series – is set for a spectacular return to Oxford across the August Bank Holiday Weekend.
Foodies Festival returns to South Parks, Oxford, from 24 to 26 August, with brand new features and a star-studded line-up of celebrity chefs and chart-topping music stars, including Blue, Sister Sledge and the exhilarating Symphonic Ibiza Orchestra with live vocals and DJ.
Known as Gastro-Glastonbury, the three-day event will feature live cooking demonstrations by TV celebrities and chefs drawn from the ranks of MasterChef, Great British Bake Off and Great British Menu.
Early announcements include:
- MasterChef champion Dhruv Baker,
- MasterChef: The Professionals finalist Kasae Fraser,
- MasterChef finalist Madeeha Qureshi,
- The Great British Menu star and Chef-Patron Paul Welburn of 3AA Rosette-awarded Swan Inn and Cygnet Restaurant in Islip,
- Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch bread expert Jack Sturgess and
- ITV’s This Morning wine expert Joe Wadsack.
Tom Rhodes said: “I’m so pleased to be joining the Foodies tour again this year, not only to cook but to host with some other great chefs in the live theatres. I’m looking forward to weekends of good food, music and fun!”
Duncan James from Blue said: “We’re all looking forward to joining the Foodies Festival tour again this year. The crowd is always buzzing and up for a great day and night out! A definite highlight is the lovely food from around the world. We’ve enjoyed some amazing dishes on previous visits and can’t wait to try some more!”
Showcasing the best of Oxford and beyond, many of the region’s most highly acclaimed Michelin and multi-award-winning chefs will also appear, including:
- Chef-Patron Mike North from Michelin-starred The Nut Tree Inn, Murcott,
- Chef-Patron Richard Craven from Michelin-starred The Royal Oak, Whatcote,
- Cookery School Director Mark Peregrine, from The Raymond Blanc Cookery School at the two-Michelin-starred Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons restaurant in Great Milton and
- Head Chef, Andrew Campbell, from 3AA Rosette-awarded Minster Mill, Minster Lovell.
Throughout the 3-day weekend, visitors will enjoy a jam-packed schedule of TV cooking show champions and award-winning chefs in the interactive live theatres.
In the Chef’s Theatre, celebrities will create their signature dishes and share new tips and tricks, whilst in the Cake & Desserts Theatre, patisserie chefs and star bakers whip up showstoppers and offer tempting sweet treats.
In the Kids Cookery School, Foodies SuperChefs make cooking fun, helping younger guests prepare delicious food they can take away and enjoy.
Masterclasses in the Drinks Theatre include tutored Champagne, Beer, Cider, Cocktail and Wine-tasting – presenters include BBC, ITV and Channel 4 drinks experts.
Visitors can browse the latest food trends in the Shopping Village, meet local producers in the Artisan Market and taste exotic and unusual new dishes in the Feasting Tent – which features a mouth-watering range of street food and delicacies from all four corners of the globe.
Other exciting attractions and new features include TV Chef battles, a Fire Pit Stage, a Cook School with experts, a Silent Disco, a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, Chilli Eating competitions featuring the current world champion, fairground rides, walk-about artists, drum troops, choirs, children’s activities and family-friendly areas.
Throughout the weekend, the Music Stage will present a summer soundtrack of chart-topping artists, top tribute acts, cover bands and superb local bands.
For the fifth year running, the festival will support Musicians Against Homelessness (MAH) with tickets – helping raise money for the UK-wide homelessness charity Crisis.
Dates and tickets:
South Parks, Oxford
24, 25, and 26 August 2024 (Bank Holiday Weekend)
Day tickets from £4.00 (child) and £21.00 (adult). Under 6s go free
Weekend tickets from £42.00 (3-day)
Tickets on sale now at the Foodies Festival website.
The ticket price includes entry to all theatres.
