Undiscovered Scotland

 

The 2021 Foodies Festival has been cancelled. The next one is scheduled to take place on 5, 6 and 7 August 2022, with the (new) venue being Modern Two at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 73 Belford Road, Edinburgh EH4 3DS. The photographs on this page show the previous venue in Inverleith Park.

The Edinburgh Foodies Festival takes place on a three day weekend in mid August, during the height of the Edinburgh Festival. Weather caused problems in previous years, but 2019 saw the fourteenth Foodies Festival, the seventh in Inverleith Park, and it turned out to be the largest and most successful to date.

Access and parking at Inverleith Park are excellent and the event takes place in a gated village which has grown markedly in size over the seven years it has been sited there. Previously the festival had taken place in Holyrood Park, close to the Scottish Parliament buildings and Holyrood Palace, in an area much less accessible and prone to flooding. In 2019, visitors were treated to mild weather, plenty of sunshine and grass dry enough to picnic on. The views from Inverleith Park are pretty special too, taking in Edinburgh Castle and part of the city skyline. The popularity of the Edinburgh Foodies Festival also ensured that 2019 was another sell out event.

The Edinburgh Foodies Festival is a celebration of fine food and drink and culinary talent presented in a format that is repeated across the UK at similar events through the year. The Chefs' Theatre is at the heart of this event, playing host to some of the nation's finest culinary talent including Michelin-starred and other award-winning chefs and celebrities, including Lorna McNee, Great British Menu Star and National Scottish Chef of the Year. (Continues below image...)

 

Over the three days of the festival, a succession of chefs are in attendance preparing their favourite dishes live on stage and passing on hints and tips for you to try at home.

Fancy putting those hints and tips into practice? A series of hands-on food and drink masterclasses led by industry experts also takes place, with plenty of tastings and opportunities to quiz the very best in their field. And children are catered for too, with their own special cooking area, The Children's Theatre. Here, a team of chefs is on hand to encourage youngsters to grasp the basics, whilst promoting fun, healthy eating.

Chefs from Scotland's leading restaurants are also in attendance preparing their signature dishes for visitors to taste, as are representatives from the capital's top bars, preparing a colourful and enticing array of summer cocktails. Relax in the sunshine, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the entertainment.

The festival offers the opportunity to shop for ingredients from local producers who, as well as selling fresh seasonal produce, are on hand with samples for visitors to try and with tips on how to make the most of Scotland's abundant larder. Speciality food and drink producers from further afield, including from the rest of Europe and beyond are also represented. So if it is spice you are after, you won't be disappointed!

The 2019 festival continued its association with Musicians Against Homelessness, first introduced in 2018, with a dedicated music stage and extended opening times. Acts from The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, including Wannabe - The Spice Girls Show and the utterly fabulous Gingzilla, as well as bands Scouting for Girls and Boyzlife all took to the stage to entertain the crowds. There was also a brand new extended Kids Zone with children's cookery theatre, a slime challenge, and even a Dog Arena.

The Foodies Festival provides a great day out for all the family and tickets are valid for the full three days. Simply sign up on arrival for the Chefs' Theatre, Drinks Theatres and Pop-Up Restaurants, and you are guaranteed a varied and interesting program of events all included in the entrance fee to the festival.