The gastronomes feast is booked for Saturday 3rd October at the Brecon Market Hall, as the autumn gala of food celebrates its 12th successful year promoting the very best of local food in the landscape where it is produced. In fact, we can pretty much guarantee that our produce has travelled less distance than you.
Every year the Food Festival fills the Brecon Market Hall and spills out into the town of Brecon – making it a popular and iconic event in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park – a place where visitors can come and experience an extraordinary range of local produce that is not only Welsh but is evolving to become instantly recognisable on the international scene.
Local farming traditions and committed local food producers ensure our food has a unique flavour, from Brecknock Lamb to porcini, Welsh black beef to Penderyn Whiskey made from pure Welsh water. It’s not surprising to see why the Bannau Brycheiniog Food Festival goes from strength to strength, when eating local is one of our favourite pastimes.
This year the Food Festival will incorporate traditional features such as local celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, coupled with an expansion of stalls throughout the picturesque market town of Brecon – including a Green Fair that will be showcasing a range of innovative, energy efficient products and services to promote the use of renewable energy at a local level. A huge line up of food entertainment with ITV’s Ruth Wignal facing a cook off with BBC’s Derek Brockway, celebrity Welsh Chef Nerys Howells,as well as live cooking demonstrations from your favourite local chefs.
A record number of local food producers and suppliers have signed up to be part of the growing success of the Festival. “Currently 70 Welsh food producers, 20 Arts and Craft producers and 20 Green Fair trade stands are booked to attend. The growth over the last 12 years provides a strong indication of the success the Bannau Brycheiniog Food Festival brings to the exhibitors taking part.” says Food Festival organiser and Catering Manager for Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority, Andrew Powell.
Mrs Mary Taylor, Chairman of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority said: “I’d personally like to thank all our committed local farmers and food producers – who are putting an incredible amount of thought and effort into how they produce their food. With the continued support of our residents and visitors, people are able to make informed decisions on locally produced food which we hope will encourage others to challenge the impact food mileage has on our environment.
“There are lots of reasons to buy local wherever possible – not only will it teach your children that their food ultimately comes from farms and local producers in the Park not factories and supermarkets, but it is more likely to be fresher and healthier – providing a welcome boost to the local economy.”
-ENDS-
Pictures: Copyright of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. For further information on the Food Festival held in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park please contact Andrew Powell on 01874 624 979 or email andrew.powell@breconbeacons.org