The 5th annual GIY Gathering will bring over 500 growers, gardeners and foodies together for a 3 day festival of learning & fun. The event includes debates, discussions, talks, workshops, forages and more! Previous speakers have included BBC Gardeners World presenters & author Alys Fowler and Bob Flowerdew; River Cottage garden team leader Mark Diacono; inspiration for the Obama White House vegetable garden Roger Doiron; Guardian writer Lia Leendertz; founder of Pop Up Farm Paul Clarke; Joy Larkcom, Klaus Laitenberger, Fionnuala Fallon, Darina Allen, Joyce Russell, Michael Kelly, Trevor Sargent, Kitty Scully and many more.

If you are interested in home-grown or local food, this is an unmissable opportunity to learn from the world's leading food advocates and experts , and to come together like minded people from Ireland and beyond. 'In nearly two decades of garden writing I've been to scores of meetings, seminars and other convocations of people who grow things. But I've never been to one with the same buzzy atmosphere and spirit of goodwill as the recent GIY Gathering in Waterford city' (Jane Powers - The Sunday Times). 'After my debut visit to Ireland, I have fallen in love with all those great growers at the GIY Gathering, a festival of home-grown food in Waterford City' (Alys Fowler). 'A wondrous mixture of political and practical gardening' (Lia Leendertz, The Guardian).

As part of the Waterford Harvest Festival "The GIY Gathering will bring together gardeners, growers, and food lovers from all over Ireland to learn more about growing their own food and to celebrate the harvest festival.