The inaugural Strandhill Food Festival is set to take place in the unique setting of Sligo Airport on Saturday 7th October 2017.

Presented by the team behind the hugely successful Strandhill People’s Market, the event will showcase the very best of local and emerging food companies, as well as attracting some of Ireland’s leading food producers and suppliers to the Northwest. The one-day foodie event will take over Sligo Airport with food demonstrations, live music, kids entertainment and an array of hot food stalls. Taking place at a time usually associated with Harvest time, the first year of the festival will draw a hugely successful summer season in Strandhill to a close.

CONNACHT GOLD STAGE FOOD DEMOS

The Connacht Gold stage will host a full day of demonstrations from local chefs, food bloggers and cookbook authors. The event will welcome food consultant cook and creative Ali Dunworth (www.thatalice.com); writer, chef and marine scientist, Finn Ni Fhaolain;  presenter and style, beauty, and plantbased blogger, Holly White (www.holly.ie); seaweed guru and cookbook author Prannie Rhatigan (Irish Seaweed Kitchen), cafe owner and chef, Carolanne Rushe (Sweet Beat Cafe), food bloggers Nicola Halloran (The Wonky Spatula); Tanya Halloran (The Tiny Vegan Kitchen), and last but not least, wild herb and foraging expert, Gaby Wieland (The Organic Centre and Neantóg Farm).

Upon the announcement of the food festival, Karen McGarty, Aurivo Communications and Brand Manager, said: “Connacht Gold is delighted to team up with the Strandhill Food Festival for its first year; bringing together some of the best tasting food in the west of Ireland. Champions of dairy and with a range of award winning butter products, the Connacht Gold brand has gone from strength to strength, and today is a brand that has something to say; it’s a brand that is different and unique.  With some of the most talented chef’s and unique products originating in the west of Ireland, the Strandhill Food Festival is providing a platform to champion some these tasty treasures, and that is something we are proud to be a part of.”

FESTIVAL FOOD HALL

For the festival, Hangar 1 at Sligo Airport will be transformed into a bustling food hall, hosting up to 30 food stalls from across Ireland. Festival attendees will get to choose from a range of delicious producers including local cafes such as Sweet Beat Café, Shells Cafe and Pudding Row, as well as Shaka Poké, serving Dublins take on the Hawaiian staple the Poke bowl; The Ploughman’s Daughter, serving raclette and cheese plates; and LaLa Poutine food truck, offering hungry attendees the chance to taste delicious French cuisine meats and cheeses melted on fresh chips.

Allan Mulrooney, event co-ordinator, commented: “We are really excited for the first Strandhill Food Festival this October. We’ve been running Strandhill People’s Market at Sligo Airport for over three years now and the launch of this food festival marks the next chapter for events we have planned for the unique space that is Hangar 1. We are fortunate to have secured such a strong line up for our demo stage with a focus on vegan, plant based, paleo, fermentation, and the use of wild herbs and seaweed in our cooking. We want to champion the amazing food scene both here in Sligo and along The Wild Atlantic Way and we’re sure our food offerings will have something for everyone. Set against the backdrop of Strandhill, we are focused on creating a family friendly environment in a really unique space. We’re confident that over the next three years, The Strandhill Food Festival can become one of the biggest family orientated food festivals in Ireland.”

Further information on the festival can be found online at www.strandhillfoodfestival.com or follow the event on Twitter @strandhillSPM and join the conversation by using #StrandhillFoodfest

Image Caption: Pictured at the launch of the Strandhill Food Festival are Karen McGarty, Aurivo, Lee Mastin, Chef at The Drafthouse, Carolanne Rushe, founder of Sweet Beat Cafe, and cookbook author Finn Ni Fhaolain.

Strandhill Food Festival co-ordinator Allan Mulrooney is available for interview to discuss the event. Contact directly at strandhillmarket@gmail.com