Britain's festival scene is back with a bang this summer. If you want to know where the food's going to be as good as the line-up, here's our guide to the best music festivals for foodies.
Pub in the Park
Marlow, Wimbledon, Warwick, Bath, Dulwich, Tunbridge Wells, Chiswick, St Albans, Brighton
When: 25 May - 18 September
Who's playing? it depends on the venue but performers include Craig David, Rag'n'Bone Man, Kaiser Chiefs, Professor Green and Sister Sledge.
Now with a whopping nine locations to choose from, chef Tom Kerridge's roving music and food festival is popping up across the country from May through to September. In the field, you'll find kitchens from restaurants including Hoppers, The Star Inn, The Hardwick and Atul Kochhar. And taking to the stage for demos and chats, the line-up includes Michel Roux Jr and Grace Dent along with Josh Moroney and Mursal Saiq from Cue Point.
Smoked and Uncut
New Forest, Bath, Canterbury
When: 18 June, 9 July, 23 July and 13 August
Who's playing? It depends on the venue - performers include Lulu, Earth Wind & Fire and Supergrass.
Run by the Pig Hotels group Smoked & Uncut runs over four dates in the summer across the South Coast. The food is run by Angela Hartnett who'll be cooking at all four festivals with a changing rota of chef friends. That includes Pip Lacey from Hicce, Mitch Tonks and Mark Hix and Sabor's Nieves Barragán. The hotel group's chef director James Golding then runs another field kitchen alongside that serving up a three-course menu with English wines. There's also a variety of bars on offer including the Chase Distillery horsebox and a fizz bar from Hambledon.
Henley Festival
Henley Bridge, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire RG9 2LY
When: 6-10 July
Who's playing? Tom Jones, Craig David, Pete Tong and the Heritage Orchestra and Boney M.
In addition to the full silver service restaurants at this black-tie festival by the Thames, the street food or grazing options at Henley are pretty good too. This year you'll find plant-based folk Jeco Bowl, Tonbo Japanese Kitchen and the BBQ Bus among others. There's also an extensive choice when it comes to drinking from the Moet Champagne Bar to the Pimms Bar and the floating Beckhoff Marina Bar.
More about the Henley Festival
Also Festival
Park Farm, Compton Verney, Warwick CV35 9HJ
When: 8-10 July 2022
Who's playing? London Afrobeat Collective, LYR and The Real String Orchestra
With 50 acres of Capability Brown-designed parkland, there are plenty of activities to fill your days at Also. Try a foraging walk or take a tasting tour with writer Rachel McCormack. There's a dumpling-making workshop and also Trinidadian street food from Heart and Soul BBQ. Imad's Syrian Kitchen will be making an appearance and there's also a Balearic brunch that's unmissable.
Rock Oyster
Dinham House, St Minver, Wadebridge PL27 6RH
When: 29-31 July 2022
Who's playing? Laura Mvula, Happy Mondays, Passenger
Jack Stein's Cornish festival gives the chefs equal billing to those supplying the music. In addition to Jack himself cooking you'll find the Chef Tipis featuring local restaurant popups including Prawn on the Lawn and Ugly Butterfly. The Pearl Stage plays host to various chef demos - names this year include Rosemary Shrager, Gizzi Erskine and Richard Bertinet. Be sure to check out the Open Fire cooking corner at Mussel Beach where they'll be doing live-fire cooking demonstrations by Neil Rankin and Melissa Thompson.
The Big Feastival
Alex James’ Farm near Kingham, Oxfordshire, OX7 6UJ
When: 26-28 August 2022
Who's playing? The Human League, Anne-Marie and Stereophonics
Obviously, farmer/festival thrower and Blur guitarist Alex James knows how to bring all the chefs to his farmyard and this year's line-up is knee-deep in talent. Coming along are Ravneet Gill, Thomasina Miers, Robin Gill and James Cochran along with Ching-He Huang MBE. Also cooking at the festival is BAM's Lee Tiernan, Brad Carter from Carters of Moseley and Ixta Belfrage of Ottolenghi. The sponsor is M&S so they'll have a large presence, including a dedicated area for activities and there'll be talks and tastings in The Table Sessions too.
Wilderness
Cornbury Park, The Estate, Charlbury OX7 3HL
When: 4-7 August 2022
Who's playing? Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Years and Years, Roisin Murphy and David Morales.
This year's Long Table Banquets will see Robin Gill joined by Jeremy Lee of Quo Vadis, Tom Barnes (L’Enclume) and Sam Buckley (Where The Light Gets In). For the Woodfired and Friends programme you'll find Margot Henderson from Rochelle Canteen, along with chef Sally Abé, restaurateurs Samantha Evans and Shauna Guinn and Bettina Campolucci Bordi from plant-based Bettina’s Kitchen. The Wilderness Kitchen features dinners by Skye Gyngell, Adam, Handlin and Niklas Ekstedt while The Social Pantry is running a vegetarian and vegan east with Noor Murad and Bubala's head chef Helen Graham taking part.
Lost Village
Lincolnshire, LN6 9HN
When: 25-28 August 2022
Who's playing?Bonobo, Jamie XX, Tom Misch
Set in a Lincolnshire forest, this year's Lost Village has a particularly interesting food line-up. Their Chef's Table series sees three top chefs cooking intimate feasts for just 25 people - the two chefs named so far are KOL's Santiago Lastra and Rafael Cagali from two Michelin-starred Da Terra. Then there are the lakeside banquets; this year's will include a Hawksmoor Sunday Feast alongside feasts by Melissa Helmley and Tim Siadatan (Trullo and Padella). Finally there are the Village Restaurants which features popup from Kricket, Big Mamma Group, Burger & Beyond, Dom's Subs and more.
Camp Good Life
Hawarden Castle, Hawarden, Flintshire CH5 3PB
When: 16-18 September 2022
Who's playing? Laura Groves, Cherry Ghost, Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band
This self-styled "small festival of music, food, fire and ideas" aims to create a sense of intimacy other larger festivals might miss out on. This year's chef line-up includes Olia Hercules, Tom Hunt, and Ixta Belfrage holding a series of feasts along with food masterclasses. There's also an excellent on site farm shop courtesy of the Hawarden Estate Farm.
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