Food and drink festivals have been announced for Waterford and Armagh.
Waterford Harvest Festival
The 12th Waterford Harvest Festival will take place from Monday September 6 until Sunday September 12.
The festival, which will be brought to Waterford city by Waterford City and County Council, will feature seven days of bespoke menus, dining out experiences, seasonal dishes, local producer collaborations and other offerings and events to celebrate food and beverage businesses and industry individuals from Waterford city and south-east Ireland.
Mayor of Waterford city and county Coucillor Joe Kelly staetd, "As one of Ireland’s leading food festivals, Waterford Harvest Festival celebrates its 12th year this September with this year's annual event showcasing and supporting Waterford’s rich and diverse food culture and heritage, restaurants and eateries, and regional and seasonal producers. Waterford Harvest Festival 2021 will also mark the re-emergence of the city's vibrant hospitality sector and our overall aim is to encourage more people than ever to support local and buy, eat, promote and enjoy Waterford’s food and drink industry."
Meanwhile, Waterford Harvest Festival co-director Shell Holden stated, "This year's Waterford Harvest Festival, an annual culinary celebration, will plate up dishes and treats to suit every palate. Waterford Harvest Festival puts a spotlight on Waterford's delicious dining scene and home-grown eateries, from bespoke menus to local producer collaborations and foodcations in Ireland’s oldest city. Gourmands can look forward to discovering Ireland's number one foodie destination's culinary hidden-gems, delicious dining heroes, world class local producers and vibrant citywide food and beverage hotspots.
"Waterford's food and drink landscape is alive with long-established producers, young emerging talent,and passionate and creative businesses. These talented people are at the heart of why Waterford's reputation as a foodie destination remains unmatched nationally. Waterford Harvest Festival 2021 will shine a spotlight on the county's amazing makers, creators, growers, harvesters, producers and restaurateurs, and encourage locals and domestic tourists to support and experience Waterford’s amazing culinary scene."
Armagh Food & Cider Weekend
Meanwhile, Armagh's Food & Cider Weekend will take place from Thursday September 9 until Sunday September 12.
The event, which is supported by Tourism NI, DAERA and the Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme, will celebrate a heritage of more than 3,000 years of apple-growing in Armagh county and feature culinary events such as undercover and outdoor dining experiences, food masterclasses and demos, food trails and foraging, and cider tastings and tours.
Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Alderman Glenn Barr stated, "Built on years of excellence in food and drink production with Armagh Bramley apples at its heart, this year's Armagh Food and Drink Weekend puts real quality, Food Heartland provenance, culinary skills and sheer enjoyment into one amazing programme of culinary events that really showcases the history, heritage and rich food culture of this unique and expansive location."
Barr added, "As this year's summer heat dissipates into autumn, this important event in the Northern Ireland foodie calendar promises a delicious menu of culinary enjoyment over four days for everyone. We can’t wait to celebrate the best of Armagh and devour everything it has in store over this tasty weekend."
© 2021 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
