York Food Festival: All the best tips and tricks for a cute visit this weekend

The York Food and Drink Festival runs annually, hosting events throughout the year such as the Easter Chocolate Festival. The main festival runs every September, from the 20^th to the 29^th this year. The not-for-profit festival showcases local vendors and offers a range of events. Perfect for a quick trip to town when you haven’t quite gotten back into studying yet.

I began by wandering through the market stalls, open every day on Parliament Street from 10am to 5pm. Walking between the rows of stalls, each smelling better than the one before, I was surprised to see such a huge range of food and drink on offer. Desserts, flavoured alcohol and sauces, as well as food from around the world including Indian, Greek, and Italian – with no lack of veggie options.

I, like most students would be, was delighted to find many stalls offering free samples. The Yorkshire Kitchen promised that their cinnamon butter would make the most basic bread taste like an iced cinnamon roll (which I did not believe, but I was very happy to be proved wrong), and Lucelas’ buttery warming chocolate rum were highlights.

My personal highlight of the market was Millers Poutine. A dish which when traditionally made, like it is in Canada, is rare to find in the UK, so it was a very lucky find.

And, of course, the iconic York Roast Co. was also there. Delicious.

I spoke with some of the vendors about their experiences at the festival – many of them work primarily online, and attend many similar events to the food festival. They were also largely based in Yorkshire and source their ingredients from around the area. I found all the vendors to be very friendly and happy to talk about the work that goes into their product.

Although there were lots of affordable options, the stalls overall were on the more pricey side – not too dissimilar from that of the Christmas market.

Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that many other events that the festival runs are free. I was lucky enough to catch one of the free cooking demonstrations in the St Crux Church. This demo featured Matt Leivers, head chef at The Old Liquor Store, displaying his cooking techniques and tips. Listening to the talk alongside watching close ups proved a really interesting experience, one that left me wanting to try out new recipes (not that I’ll be abandoning the microwave meals any time soon).

Although I didn’t see it this time, The Food Factory in St Crux and Museum Gardens also holds free cooking workshops, open for all ages. Paid ticketed events for those wanting to make a day of the festival includes tasting trails, chocolate experiences, and themed tastings.

To end my day at the festival, I attended the live music performance. This was also free, and well worth popping along for. Live for St Leonards are organised by York BID, raising money for St Leonards Hospice. This performance featured Martin Ledger in the main stage marquee on Parliament Street – the festival hosts a range of local artists every day, from 5pm to 9pm. This was a fabulous performance, made better by the atmosphere. Plus, some food stalls stay open and a bar serves drinks throughout the night. The marquee is mostly always busy, and the performances bring a great crowd!

I had a wonderful time exploring the York Food and Drink festival. There truly is enough to do to fill a whole day, or simply to grab a quick lunch. Be sure to catch it before it ends this week!

Related articles recommended by this author:

•The full rundown of Greg James’ wildest antics at the Long Boi memorial, in case you missed it

•GIVEAWAY: Enter for a chance to win £50 drinks voucher and merch from The Stone Roses Bar!

•Mocktails galore: Here are the best venues across York for sober students