Marking its quarter-century anniversary of bringing some of the best street food and drink to the city, the Manchester Food & Drink Festival is set to make a grand return to Cathedral Gardens this September – with some special plans in store for the big celebration. Promising to be the ‘biggest yet’, this year’s festival will showcase some of the best local talent, bringing back the annual pop up food and drink village, a huge 25th-anniversary beer bar, a wine and gin bar, an artisan food market, tons of masterclasses, banquets and, of course, live music.
However, following guidance from Manchester City Council the Festival will be delayed by a week in order to fall in line with the national mourning period for Queen Elizabeth II and the council’s cessation of events and entertainment on public squares during this time. The event will now take place between Thursday 22nd – Sunday 25th September and then again from Thursday 29th September – Sunday 2nd October.
If that wasn’t all, the festival will be bringing tons of events, offers and more to local restaurants, too, with a special focus on some of the chefs and restaurants that have been a part of MFDF over the past 25 years. Sustainability will also be a running theme this year, with zero waste and budget cooking classes and a completely plastic-free Festival Hub.
The Hub at Cathedral Gardens will become home to an array of street food traders, bars, and artisan producers, as well as masterclasses and takeovers. The first ever Festival Fire Pit Takeover will be coming to the Hub for both long weekends, inviting some of the region’s best loved chefs, such as Francisco Martinez from Fazenda, to cook over fire for a festival feast.
The Hub at Cathedral Gardens will become home to an array of street food traders, bars, and artisan producers, as well as masterclasses and takeovers. The first ever Festival Fire Pit Takeover will be coming to the Hub for both long weekends, inviting some of the region’s best loved chefs, such as Francisco Martinez from Fazenda, to cook over fire for a festival feast.
The Hub will also host the Octopus Cookbook Confidential demo kitchen on September 24 where top chefs and industry experts will be coming together to share their tips, ideas and knowledge in cookery demos, conversations and debate discussions, including the likes of GBBO stars Rahul Mandal and Edd Kimber.
Plus, the much-anticipated Artisan Food Market will take place across the duration of the Festival, from midday to 7.00pm. This free to attend market will showcase some of Manchester’s finest food and drink producers, including New Market Dairy, The Flat Baker & Dghnt.
Manchester Food & Drink Festival will welcome the Wine and Fizz Festival to town, which will take place in the iconic and stunningly-restored New Century building set to open this September. Festival-goers will get the chance to see amazing retailers like Cork of the North, Prestwich’s Grape to Grain and UKiYO Republic (showcasing their wonderful range of Japanese sake) in an incredible setting.
Across the city for the duration of the festival, MFDF are also curating a line up of fantastic restaurants to take part in their £25 for 25 years menu collaboration. Northern Quarter favourite District will be creating an exclusive £25 drinks pairing menu to compliment their amazing Thai cuisine and Embankment Kitchen are also creating an exclusive £25 menu to give diners a taste of the best of their offering at a reduced price.
As always, the festival will be free to enter, and will take place between Thursday 22nd – Sunday 25th September and then again from Thursday 29th September – Sunday 2nd October. For more info and tickets to MFDF events head to the festival website here.
Also published on Medium.