New West Country food and drink festival set to launch

Showcasing the best of local, seasonal and sustainable West Country food and drink, the new ‘Feast of Dorset’ Festival will be held in Wimborne Minster from 19-20 September.

The festival will bring together the best of local culinary personalities, with the likes of renowned chef and COUNTRY LIFE contributor Mark Hix, who runs the successful Hix Oyster & Fish House restaurant in Lyme Regis, ‘River Cottage’ star Pam Corbin and Dorset-based, Oscar-winning screenwriter and actor, Julian Fellowes, DL, amongst many more regional food talents.

Timed to coincide with the fruitful early autumn/late-harvest time of year, this Festival is set to draw large and enthusiastic crowds, delighting in the tented village, which will include stands of local producers offering their fare, a special Cheese Tent and the Grand Bazaar which will promote Moroccan delicacies.

Specialists will be giving talks on a wide range of topical issues, such as fishing, beekeeping and using herbs in different on-site facilities of the venue, including: ‘the Orchard’, ‘the Herb Garden’ and ‘the Walled Garden Kitchen’.

Highlighting the start of this year’s British Food Fortnight, the festival will include falconry, foraging wild food, archery, a Mad Hatter’s Tea-Party and a fun-packed crêche with puppet-shows and children’s food-workshops. There will also be live music on the Saturday night.

Recommended videos for you

With more delicious, country fare than you could shake a leg of lamb at, the ‘Feast of Dorset’ is aiming to offer insights and education into food production and the environment as well.

Find out more about Mark Hix’s scrumptious summer salads

Discover what is going on this British Food Fortnight

For further information on the Festival, including details about exhibitors and accommodation