Simon L
25 October 2017
Cornwall; land of the pasty, of cream teas (jam first!) and a whole host of wonderful seafood restaurants… so Cornish food festivals must be worth a visit, right?!
Luckily, there are festivals, markets and shows taking place all year round – including the World Pasty Championships!
Here's your month-by-month guide to the biggest and best Cornwall food festivals:
January and February: Farmers Markets
The start of the year is a quiet time for food festivals in Cornwall, but the region's Farmers' Markets are definitely worth an early year visit!
St Ives, Pendeen and Helston all host markets during the first two months, while Sennen and Bude also host weekly events from March and April respectively.
March: World Pasty Championships
Where else could the World Pasty Championships be held, other than Cornwall?
What makes it even better is that the annual event, celebrating all things pasty, takes place around St Piran's Day – the national day of Cornwall – at the county's jewel-in-the-crown, the Eden Project (above).
When: 2nd March 2019
Stay:
April: Porthleven Food and Music Festival
The annual Porthleven Food and Music Festival brings around 30,000 people to the stunning harbour port. As well as a dedicated theatre for national and international chefs, there will be stallholders and street food, with music performances all day and night.
When: 26th – 28th April 2019
Stay: Porthleven cottages
May: St Ives Food and Drink Festival
This fantastic event has a dedicated food producers market, offering everything from wine, beer and cider, to chocolate, cheese and meat – the majority of which is produced in Cornwall.
It takes place on the iconic Porthminster Beach, so pray for May sunshine to make it even better!
When: 10th – 12th May 2019
Stay: St Ives cottages
June: Royal Cornwall Show
Although not a dedicated food festival, the Royal Cornwall Show always has a wonderful variety of local food and drink producers on hand to promote their tantalising titbits.
Expect everything from fresh fruit stalls, to burgers and chips, via carvery units at the Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge.
When: 6th – 8th June 2019
Stay: Wadebridge cottages
July: Rock Oyster Festival
The first of two celebrations of Cornish oysters takes place at Roskear Farm, near Wadebridge. It's billed as a "midsummer celebration of food, music and art", and visitors to the festival eat their way through thousands of local oysters over the two-day event
When: Not being held in 2019 but the festival will return in 2020
Stay: Rock cottages
August: Newlyn Fish Festival
The UK's premier fishing port celebrates all things fishy on August Bank Holiday, and revellers can satisfy their appetite with some of the best seafood you're likely to find anywhere.
The event also helps to raise money for the Fishermen's Mission, the only national charity that works solely with fishermen and their families.
When: Not being held in 2019 but the festival will return in 2020
Stay: Penzance cottages
October: Falmouth Oyster Festival
Let there be Oysters under the sea – and on Events Square in Falmouth during October! The Falmouth Oyster Festival celebrates the start of the oyster dredging season and the native Fal Oyster, as well as a variety of Cornwall's seafood.
There are four days of feasting, cooking demos from top chefs and food experts, and food stalls, usually held in the middle of October.
When: 10th – 13th October 2019
Stay: Falmouth cottages
November: Cornish Winter Fair in Wadebridge
There will be a huge range of Cornish food and drink producers on show, with a chance to try and buy their delicacies. This free event, held at the Royal Cornwall Events Centre in Wadebridge, runs from 10am until 5pm.
When: 16th November 2019
Stay: Wadebridge cottages
December: Padstow Christmas Festival
Fantastic live chef demonstrations and festive treats await you at the Padstow Christmas Festival, held in the Cornish town every winter.
Expect a tempting selection of food, ranging from artisan bread and cakes, chocolates, meats, cheeses and preserves, not to mention award-winning craft beers and locally produced gins.
When: 5th – 8th December 2019
Stay: Padstow cottages
Make sure you check out our range of holiday cottages in and around Cornwall if you're visiting any of these festivals!
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing,
please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.