WaterFood 2020. A Celebration of Waterford From the Mountains to the Sea!

WaterFood 2020

A Celebration of Waterford From the Mountains to the Sea!

 

Pictured on the Waterford Greenway ahead of a busy September are (l-r) TV Honan (Waterford Spraoi), Ned Gahan (Head Distiller, Waterford Distillery), Craig Dee (Coach House Coffee) and The Reckless Chef, Bernie Power of Taste Tramore.

From the mountains to the sea and throughout the historic city streets, Waterford comes alive this September with food, entertainment and art! Waterford has always been a city of firsts - the first place to roast coffee in Ireland, the home of the rasher, and not to forget the humble blaa.

Known nationally for its festival and event scene, this year Waterford comes together to celebrate all of the things that make Waterford great, as well as some more “firsts” - including the launch of Waterford Distillery’s ground breaking new Irish whiskey, a brand new sea themed festival in Tramore - Vitamin Sea Festival, and Waterford’s first Honey Show.

From September 4th to 13th Waterford’s renowned international street theatre organisation Spraoi, will present Spraoi Time 2020, which is sure to lift people’s spirits, hearts and minds in traditional Spraoi style. This walk-through exhibition will take place across the city streets over ten evenings in September and will feature mesmerising sculptures, spectacles, circus, lights and sounds. For the first time ever Spraoi will also have a foodie element as it overlaps with the Waterford Harvest Festival to offer pre theatre menus in many of the restaurants in Waterford city. www.spraoi.com

Waterford Harvest Festival will then present A Harvest Celebration from the 11th to 13th of September! With a keen focus on celebrating the very best of local food and drink, this year's programme will be packed with dining events for every taste which will strictly adhere to social distancing and government guidelines. With online demos and chats, as well as events in cafes, restaurants, bars, distilleries, beaches and gardens there’s a Harvest event for everyone. From guided tours, to bottomless brunches, to Ancient Food Feasts, basket making to the love of bread and butter. This year even sees the launch of the Waterford Honey Show! All of these events will have a side of the usual serving of Harvest fun, and while it may look different, Harvest 2020 will be one to remember. www.waterfordharvestfestival.ie

Moving into mid-September, the coastal town of Tramore launches its inaugural Vitamin Sea Festival. A weekend programme of sea inspired events featuring exciting foodie collaborations, guest hosts, coastal excursions, taste trails, online events, craft markets and much more celebrating the vibrant outdoor and food scene!  From freshly roasted coffee to Middle Eastern inspired falafels - Tramore has become a hive of artisan food producers and this will be showcased on 18th - 20th September. To keep up to date with this seaside foodie revolution check out ‘Vitamin Sea Festival’ on Facebook and Instagram. www.facebook.com/vitaminseafestival

And to conclude this county-wide celebration of Waterford’s artisan food producers, creative chefs, and world-class produce, the West Waterford Autumn Festival of Food is holding two Festival weekends. Wild Weekend takes to the mountains, rivers, beaches and woodlands of beautiful West Waterford to discover the best wild food tastes, with picnics, foraging, cruises, barbeques and more. Join renowned chefs to make the most of the new season’s foods from September 25th to 27th. Then October 2nd to 4th sees the region’s restaurants and chefs come together to showcase the best of local in Dining Weekend. www.westwaterfordfestivaloffood.com

With 100km of sandy beaches, the Waterford Greenway, a 46-km off-road walking and cycling path stretching from Waterford City to Dungarvan, the 1,000 year old Viking history that emanates from Ireland’s oldest city and some of the tastiest food festivals in the country, Waterford is perfect staycation destination all year round.

For full programmes for all of the above see www.spraoi.com, www.waterfordharvestfestival.ie, www.facebook.com/vitaminseafestival,  www.westwaterfordfestivaloffood.com or www.visitwaterford.ie

press release

Friendly Festival at The Slí Eile Farm

Friendly Festival at The Slí Eile Farm
Harvest Festival in Churchtown

The Slí Eile Farm was the venue for a lively Harvest Festival on Sunday. The Churchtown event had something for everyone: lots of food stalls, advice (on organic growing, men’s sheds), a dog show, entertainment (bouncy castle, pony rides, penalty kicks, archery and more) for the kids, while the adults were entertained with some old fashioned farming, a thatching demo, and music.

No shortage of parking and just as well as there was a great turnabout on a lovely day in North Cork. Our first priority was something to eat and we found it quickly. A rustic restaurant had been set up in the environs of the barn and the smoke was rising from the grill. Soon we were sitting and enjoying a delicious organic burger from the farm itself.

Time then for an enjoyable stroll around the yard of Burton Park where most of the stalls were situated. The farm itself had a stall with vegetables, jams and apple juice and fund raising tickets were on sale as the music and the conversation flowed.

I had missed Bluebell Falls cheese at Killavullen last week and so was glad to get a tasting this time and came home with their lovely Honey, Garlic and Thyme Goats Cheese. The Golden Vale has been the traditional home of Irish cheese and isn't it about time we had an artisan cheesemaker from the area. Well done to all concerned. Be sure to check out their website above for their products and recipes.

Now we were in the kitchen gardens, where all kinds of healthy looking vegetables grew, both outdoors and under the polytunnel. Continued the walk past a collection of vintage vehicles and soon we were in the fields.

And here the beautiful big horses were hard at work. A pair of greys, harnessed to a reaper, were cutting the corn, stopping every now and then for a tasty munch! Behind, the workers were busy making sheaves of the corn. Saw one sheaf tied in the traditional way but most were being secured with a blue twine.

Nearby, another large horse was being guided up and down between the drills and his attached scuffler was uprooting the weeds. Perhaps the guide and driver were needed but that big dark horse showed neat footwork as he worked the narrow spaces without standing on the plants.

What a refreshing change of scenery for a Sunday afternoon! And what a refreshing place Slí Eile is. The aim of the Slí Eile approach to recovery through community living is to provide another way of supporting people to recover from their experience of mental distress. A great afternoon and a great cause. And, those of us, of a certain age, who remember innocent people consigned to the loneliness of dark corners, will surely agree. Check it all out here.

And there will be another festival in Churchtown soon. The local development association hosts the Churchtown Fine Food and Craft Beer Festival on the 8th to the 10th of August. Keep an eye on Facebook for further details.