Get your food and drink on at St Albans and Harpenden’s festival!

The St Albans & Harpenden Food & Drink Festival is back on the 22nd September with a vengeance… and a vegetable or two.

This year’s festival, from the 22nd September to 5th October, showcases the fantastic range of food, drink and produce available throughout the district, as well as giving you access to workshops, behind-the-scenes experiences and tastings.

Get the pots and pans out, get your hands sticky, and get your taste buds tingling! Go out there and learn something new, taste something different and find out what culinary treasures are on your doorstep.

Councillor Beric Read, Portfolio Holder for Community Engagement and Localism at the council, said: “St Albans & Harpenden Food & Drink Festival is a great opportunity to visit local restaurants, discover different venues and try something new.

“The event is part of the Council’s strategy to support the local economy throughout the District. It is both an attractive showcase for our culinary businesses and an enjoyable experience for our residents and visitors. So why not get your brochure now and start choosing what you will try?”

Festival highlights include:

• Opening night Gala Dinner at Thompson@Darcy’s, Hatfield Road, St Albans on Tuesday 22 September

• The Mayor of St Albans City and District’s charity fundraising three-course Tasting Evening at Poggenpohl showroom on London Road, St Albans on Thursday 24 September

• Harpenden Food Court with cookery demonstrations, food stalls and children’s activities, Church Green, Harpenden Town Centre on Sunday 27 September

• CAMRA’s St Albans Beer and Cider Festival at the Alban Arena from Wednesday 30 September to Saturday 3 October

• Afro-Latin Salsa Dinner and Dance at the Town Hall, Market Place, St Albans on Saturday 3 October

• St Albans Street Finale in St Peter’s Street on Sunday 4 October from noon to 6pm. St Albans Mayor is cooking Turkish. You can see cookery demonstrations from local chefs or buy tasty treats from food-stalls and pop-up restaurants

• St Albans and Harpenden Food & Drink Awards’ Dinner on Monday 5 October at Sopwell House Hotel, Cottonmill Lane, St Albans. This event celebrates the best of the best local food and drink businesses and producers.

There’s also a new venture for junior chefs and chefs-to-bes. Under 16s are invited to have the opportunity to enjoy making and eating good, healthy food through the new venture #KidsCookalong.

Be sure to check out the festival’s website and download a brochure for up-to-date information throughout the 14-day festival. Events are FREE unless otherwise stated.

Written by Isaac Ouro