As someone who is dangerously NOT picky when it comes to food, I am always looking to explore different cuisines and types of food. And what better way to do that than attending the Foodies Festival in Brighton?
As it says in the name itself, this festival is not for the faint-hearted when it comes to food and delicacies. As I entered the grounds of Preston Park, where the Brighton Foodies Festival takes place.
I was greeted with a sprawling lawn filled with stalls as far as the eyes could see. Fair to say, even as a foodie myself, I was quite overwhelmed by the range and variety presented in front of me.
drinks at the foodies festival
I overcame my indecision quite soon, however, owing to the clever layout of the stalls. When drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, are what welcome you on a particularly sunny day, you know what you have to begin the experience with. The smell of coffee from coffee carts and the refreshing sight of chilled beer were surely alluring.
However, it was time to try something new. So, we decided to try some botanical punches from TnT Teas. I would definitely recommend trying their Lavender Acacia blend, which as the store representative informed me, is quite the underdog.
We were also graciously given free herbal tea samples which has to be one of the best things about attending food festivals and getting the opportunity to try food from vendors you otherwise would not meet in local storefronts.
Spoilt for choice at the Foodies Festival in Brighton
Next, it was time to do what we were essentially there to do – get some delicious food. It was really difficult to even shortlist a few options because we were spoilt for choice. There were stalls for almost every cuisine, you name it – Lebanese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, and many more.
After having surveyed all the stalls and taken a whole round through the festival grounds, we decided to try the New York Mac and Cheese. We found it appealing because the Mac and Cheese was getting fire-baked right in front of us.
Another great thing about food festivals is possibly the fact that you get a semi-immersive experience in the cooking process with all the sweet and savoury smells in the air, the open cooktops and the outdoor bar counters.
Since Preston Park has plenty of grassy seating to offer, it felt like a summer-time picnic when we grabbed our Mac and Cheese and chose a shaded spot on the grass to sit and have it.
Having a whole bowl of cheesy goodness, got us thirsty for drinks yet again. Hence, we went on the search for an alcoholic drink this time. We found the Kent Cider Company stall and they recommended we try the Rhubarb Cider.
We took another walk around to look for something different as well and luckily came across the most welcoming set-up by the Wicker Basket, where I got to taste the two different Tea Spritz samples they had – one gin-based and the other vodka-based. I was absolutely floored by this gin concoction and got myself a chilled can to walk around with.
For our last food course of the day, we got ourselves some classic baklava that had us full in no time. To top it all off, we got yet another round of drinks. We noticed people carrying pineapples filled with drinks and were very curious to find the stall that sold them.
Finally, we ended up there and got ourselves that fascinating Pina Colada in a pineapple and a variation of the espresso martini, and Espresso Rumtini. The cherry on the cake is knowing that for all this food we consumed, we were spending way less than we would have to at any café or restaurant in town.
More Than Just Food: Entertainment for Everyone
However, the Foodies Festival is not limited to only foodies as it has something for everyone. There were plenty of stalls that had interactive displays, sample tasters and games to win freebies.
We played a fun little game at the Boundless snacks stall to win ourselves a few bags of healthy vegan crisps. Not just that, there were multiple rides set up at the festival as a means to keep the kids entertained or even your inner child satisfied, if you will.
Additionally, there were tents set up that organized a theatrical display of cookery like the Cakes Theatre and the Chefs Theatre. There stood two major attractions though. Firstly, we seemed to be right in time to witness a chilli-eating competition.
It was thrilling to watch a line of around 10 participants try to eat many different types of chilli, as the heat increased and the crowd cheered on with “Three, Two, One – Eat That Chilli!”
Though we desperately wanted a winner, the last two people standing decided to share a joint glory instead of putting themselves through the torture of an icebreaker.
music at the foodies festival in Brighton
The second major highlight was the headliner act for the first day of the festival, the British pop band, Scouting for Girls. They not only played some of their major hits like She’s So Lovely but also engaged the Brighton crowd in a lovely manner.
The challenges thrown at us to put our hands in the air, jump higher and sing louder got our adrenaline going. They also took the opportunity to involve the crowd in the filming of a new music video for one of their songs. Their energy left the crowd thoroughly invigorated and brought our day to a powerful end.
Planning to go next year? Find out more here: https://foodiesfestival.com/
