It's impossible to think of a better way to spend the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend than in the City of the Tribes at the third Galway Food Festival. Visitors can enjoy five days of top-quality food and loads of free events for all the family.
The Festival aims to spread the word that Galway is the ideal food destination. With a strong emphasis on artisan, seasonal and local produce, the Festival will consist of open-air markets, a food & restaurant trail, a taste trail, food tours and talks, world, craft beer and wine tastings, cookery demo’s and more - and there'll be plenty to keep kids entertained too.
Last year's hugely successful festival saw an estimated 60,000 people enjoy everything that was on offer and it even got the seal of approval from President Michael D. Higgins.
This year the Festival will promote Galway as the food capital of Ireland, with a strong focus on local and West of Ireland producers, produce and products. The importance of food provenance, sustainability and healthy eating will take centre stage and increased trade for local food outlets and their suppliers will be strongly encouraged.
So what's in store for this year's Festival? A feast full of events, that's what! For a flavour of what you can expect to enjoy; there's a unique Taste Trail, taking place on Saturday, April 19th and Sunday 20th from 2 - 5 pm, where food outlets will offer a little taste of the West - linked with a local producer - at the unbeatable price of €2.
As well as that, cookery demonstrations will take place hourly from 10am to 5pm from Friday 18 to Sunday 20 April at the Festival Village Demo Tent at Spanish Arch, a series of food talks to educate people about food will take place on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 April at the Mick Lally Theatre, Druid Lane and there will be not one, or two but FOUR open-air markets.
Pop into city centre outlets and experience an array of in-house events taking place throughout the Festival that will include; baking demonstrations, wine tasting and food pairing with cocktails. There will also be Lunchtime Comedy Gigs, Marche in the Market – A Galway Food Tour, A Wine Goose Chase, Westend Street Food and Silent Disco and so, so much more.
There'll be plenty of fun for all the family too with kid-friendly events like the Kiddies Pizza Making Class, Easter Cup Cake Decorations for Kids, Teddy Bear’s Picnic, Kiddies Easter Egg Hunt, Easter Sunday Lunch and Kids Chocolate Masterclass.
Over 100 restaurants, food outlets and food producers are expected to take part, all events will be 100% family-friendly and most events won't cost you a penny!
Find out more at www.galwayfoodfestival.com and keep firmly up to date by following the festival on Twitter #GFF2014 and Facebook.
The 3rd Galway Food Festival will take place from Thursday 17th - Mon 21st April 2014.
In case you haven't already made up your mind to head out West for Easter, check out the highlight's from last year's Festival below!
