Masterchef’s just been on the telly and summer’s on its way at last! Meaning longer evenings and more time for outdoor feasting!
 
It’s the perfect time for foodies to get in touch with their inner cravings and book a holiday cottage near one of this year’s hottest food festivals.
 
Our team have been busy lining up their top 10 picks from this year’s foodie calendar, from local events like the Dorset Seafood Festival to star-studded culinary weekenders like The Big Feastival…

1 Eastnor Chilli Festival

© Eastnor Castle

Where: Eastnor Castle, Ledbury, Herefordshire HR8 1RL
When: May 5 - 6 2019
Now in its eighth year, Eastnor Chilli Festival is a super-hot family-and-pooch-friendly event. The two days combine live music, cookery demos and a children’s cookery school with hundreds of exhibitors selling all things chilli, plus HOT tasty food, cocktails, beer and local cider.
Don’t miss… the Chilli eating competition, the puppet show and the usual attractions at the castle, including the knight’s maze and lakeside walks.
Make a break of it: Stay at beautiful Hampton Wafre Cottage, our dog-friendly Herefordshire bolthole.

2 Ludlow Spring Festival

© Ludlow Marches Food & Drink Festival

Where: Ludlow Castle, Shropshire SY8 1AY
When: May 11 – 12 2019
Ludlow, home to the UKs original food festival in September, now has a little brother! A little brother with a fondness for beer, bangers and a taste for vintage cars. This is a beer festival and so much more, with 200 glorious real ales and artisan produce from 60 passionate, local food and drink producers. Mix in toe tapping live music and over 150 spectacular classic cars and you get another amazing festival this year! Check out their website for more details.
Don’t miss… an opportunity to ‘Meet the Brewer’ in the special preview evening on Friday 10th for just £5 per person from 5pm – 9pm.
Make a break of it: Our Shropshire holiday cottages and Hampton Wafre Cottage just over the border in Herefordshire are all less than half an hour’s drive.

3 Crab & Lobster Festival

© Crab and Lobster Festival; credit Andreas Yiasimi

Where: Cromer and Sheringham, Norfolk
When: May 18 – 19 2019
A fun coastal festival put together by two historically great rival Norfolk towns, celebrating their rich maritime heritage with a weekend of food, fun and fishing. Each town adds its own special flavour to the festival with cooking demos as well as plenty of superb seafood. The festival gets off to a cracking start on Friday (May 19th) with a night of live music at Cromer’s Pavilion Theatre. Over the weekend, market stalls, local food producers, seafood competitions and entertainment all add to the atmosphere.
Don’t miss… the Art Trail, a great way to explore the towns. 2019 sees a wonderful array of boats displayed in local shops and outdoor spaces.
Make a break of it: Weavers Loft and Banningham Coach House are very well situated, being 20 minutes’ drive from both venues.

4 River Cottage Food Fair

Where: River Cottage HQ, Park Farm, Axminster, Devon EX13 8TB
When: May 25-26 2019
A food lover’s dream weekend, the Food Fair takes place at the iconic River Cottage HQ, the idyllic 100-acre Axminster organic farm on the Dorset and Devon border. This hugely popular foodie festival will feature takes from the likes of Yotam Ottolenghi, Chetna Makan and Thom Hunt … and of course, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall himself. There’ll be loads of food to eat,and the host of fun children’s activities, craft workshops, live music, wild food tours and artisan food stalls.
Don’t miss… the opportunity to meet the animals. 
Make a break of it: Stay at one of our nearby holiday cottages (sleeping 2-50) just 10 minutes’ drive away.

5 Blenheim Palace Food Festival

© Blenheim Palace

Where: Blenheim Palace, Woodstock OX20 1PP
When: May 25 – 27 2019
This family-friendly celebration of fine food and drink is set in the stunning surroundings of Blenheim Palace over the late May bank holiday. Hosted by Fantastic British Food Festivals, the sixth annual Blenheim Palace Food Festival will feature more demos, more local producers and more tastings than ever before, as well as activities for the whole family. A fantastic range of regional food and drink from 140 stallholders includes artisan bakes, craft brews, gourmet burgers, international cuisine, traditional ices and handmade sweets. There’s plenty for kids to work up an appetite too, plus workshops, talks and master classes across the three days.
Don’t miss… the traditional hay bale-filled picnic area where families can eat and relax on their delicious day out.
Make a break of it: Combine with a break at one of our beautiful holiday cottages across the Cotswolds area.

6 Smoked & Uncut

Where: The Pig near Bath, Hunstrete, Pensford, Near Bath BS39 4NS
When: June 15 2019
Set against a backdrop of the rolling Mendip Hills and quintessentially English views of this undiscovered part of Somerset, Smoked & Uncut at The Pig near Bath is not your average English festival! More glamour than grunge, you can expect a line-up of handpicked classic and contemporary artists, home-made festi-food, local ales and cocktails. The glamorous food festival is famed for its large family-style pop-up feasting tents which see some of the country’s best chefs cook up a storm.
Don’t miss… the Brit Award winning Kaiser Chiefs who are headlining this year.
Make a break of it: For large groups of up to 16, Kingsley Lake View is ideally located.

7 Dorset Seafood Festival

Dorset Seafood Festival by Mats Hagwall

Where: Weymouth Harbour, Dorset DT4 8BG
When: July 13 – 14 2019
Hosted around the beautiful 17th-century harbour in Weymouth, this sophisticated food festival celebrates its 12th birthday this year. There are almost 100 stalls serving seafood specialities, showcasing the best in local produce including oysters, shellfish and the freshest sea fish, plus chef demos and family entertainment. Or simply relax with a glass of English sparkling wine from festival sponsors Nyetimber! A true celebration of Dorset’s historic fishing and seafaring trades, the festival educates about sustainability and helps raise money for the Fishermen’s Mission charity.
Don’t miss… rockpooling and crabbing – great fun for kids and, with such a lot of great seafood on offer, there’s no pressure to catch your tea!
Make a break of it: Stay at Wavecrest, just 4 miles from Weymouth.

8 The Big Feastival

© The Big Feastival

Where: Churchill Heath Farm, Kingham, Chipping Norton OX7 6UJ
When: August 23 – 25 2017
A fusion of great food and great music on Alex James’ farm against the beautiful backdrop of The Cotswolds. This feel-good festival has a delectable food and drink market, pop-up restaurants, a famed cheese hub and amazing street food. Raymond Blanc, Tom Brown, Daniel Clifford, Prue Leith and Candice Brown from Bake Off are just some of the celebrity chefs giving demos. It’s a great choice for families, with a kids’ demo kitchen, appearances from Justin Fletcher and Paw Patrol's Chase and Marshall and big-name music stars like Jonas Blue, The Cuban Brothers and Duke. Check out their website for more details.
Don’t miss… Alex James’ cheese hub for an epic cheese fix and much more, and, for little festival goers, the Little Dude’s Den field and Adam Henson’s visiting Cotswold Farm Park animals.
Make a break of it: Don’t fancy camping? Take a look at our nearby Cotswold cottages, including six cottages in Kingham nearby.

10 Food Rocks

© Food Rocks 

Where: Marine Parade and Cart Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3JF
When: September 7 -8 2019
Curated by restaurateur and chef Mark Hix, Food Rocks in Lyme Regis celebrates the fantastic produce that the South West has to offer while raising funds for the Fishermen’s Mission and RNLI. The two-day food extravaganza, now in its sixth year, will bring together the best of Dorset food and drink, celebrated chefs and local producers from the surrounding regions. The main stage will showcase a diverse mix of interactive cookery demonstrations, talks and tastings – last year saw live demonstrations from top chefs Angela Hartnett and Mitch Tonks amongst others.
Don’t miss… the exciting one-off supper clubs. Saturday night sees the annual crab and mackerel feast return due to popular demand.
Make a break of it: Stay at one of our nearby holiday cottages (sleeping 2-50) for a truly memorable break.

10 Ludlow Food & Drink Festival

© Ludlow Marches Food & Drink Festival

Where: Ludlow Castle, Shropshire SY8 1AY
When: September 13 – 15 2019
The UK’s original food festival! Ludlow has long been a focus of excellent, locally produced ‘slow’ food and the annual food festival celebrates this, showcasing the best the region has to offer with over 160 top quality small independent food and drink producers from the Welsh Marches, the England-Wales border country. Plus free talks and chef demos, ‘hands-on’ workshops, children’s activities, a huge Sunday market and more.
Don’t miss… the infamous Ludlow Sausage Trail!
Make a break of it: Stay at our Shropshire holiday cottages or Hampton Wafre Cottage just over the border in Herefordshire.