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Devon Food festivals: autumn 2014

27th August 2014

Categories: Visitor News

One of the best things about the arrival of autumn is that it’s the Devon food festival season. We’ve so much fantastic food and drink here that it’s no surprise that we like to show it off with events packed with produce stalls, chef demos and family entertainment – and we like to do it all over the county, virtually every weekend.
Read our guide to some of the best Devon food festivals in September, October and November 2014 – plus we’ve some suggestions for foodie hotels to stay in nearby.

Find more food and drink events across Devon: Exeter and surrounds; Dartmoor; Plymouth; South Devon; Torquay, Brixham and Paignton; North Devon and Exmoor
Read more about foodie Devon including our Expert Guide to Devon vineyards, 21 great foodie Devon pics and Alfresco dining in Devon

Fishstock, Brixham
September 13
A great combination of live music and fantastic seafood, Fishstock (we love the name!) has live cooking demos with some of the area’s best chefs cooking that day’s Brixham catch and stalls from top local food and drink producers. There’ll also be a big music stage that runs into the evening, working fishing trawlers and lots of fun activities for kids. It’s a free event, and a great place to try and buy in the pretty quayside setting … and learn more about Brixham’s fascinating heritage. More
Foodie place to stay nearby Quayside Hotel

Abbfest, Newton Abbott
September 19-21
A great favourite on the Devon food festival calendar, every September Abbfest raises lots for charity – and feeds lots of happy people. This year two Michelin star chef Michael Caines and Judi Spiers will kick off three days of chef demos, beer (120+real ales), cider, food (70+ stalls), craft, flea market and live music – plus the Military Wives singing on the Sunday. Though billed as a beer and food festival, this is a family event so you can bring the kids. Prepaid weekend passes are £10, and daily entry is from £3. More
Foodie place to stay nearby The Old Church House Inn

Topsham Beer and Bacon Festival
September 20-21
This two day festival pretty much does what it says on the tin: provides a feast of porky deliciousness plus plenty of pints. Street vendors will be dishing up hog roasts, slow roasted pulled pork, smoked barbecue pork and beef alongside local brewery bars with guest draft beers. There’ll also be live music from local bands, competitions and charity raffles – all in the auspicious surroundings of Topsham Rugby Club. Tickets are £5 per day or £8 for the weekend when bought in advance. More
Foodie place to stay nearby The Salutation Inn

Also try:
September 4: Street Food Night Market, The Quay, Exeter
September 4: Hugh’s Late Summer Party, River Cottage, Axminster
September 6: Occombe Cider Festival, Paignton
September 7: Clovelly Crab and Lobster Feast
September 27-28:Apple and Cider Weekend, The Shops at Dartington, Totnes
October 15: Supper with Guy Watson, Riverford Field Kitchen, Buckfastleigh
October 19: Cockington Apple Day
November 16: Clovelly Herring Festival

Plymouth Seafood Festival
September 27-28
Try more of Devon’s wonderful seafood at this annual festival on the harbour – but this year, with a bit of a difference: on the Saturday afternoon the festival will link with Japan 400 to bring Japanese food and entertainment. More usual – but top-notch – offerings include the cookery theatre in The Parade in the Barbican, including demos from James Tanner, Mitch Tonks, Peter Gorton and Yoshinori Ishii; lots of local produce stalls; and children’s entertainments on Quay Square; plus local eateries offering special seafood dishes for the weekend. More
Foodie place to stay nearby Langdon Court Hotel

North Devon Foodfest, Barnstaple
October 19
On this day you’ll find Barnstaple’s Victorian Pannier Market stuffed to the bunting-festooned rafters with excellent food and drink from across North Devon and Exmoor. Expect stands selling everything from cheese, artisan bread, ciders and ales to local meat, handmade curry sauces and seafood, plus street food vendors, accompanied by live music and a chef demo stage that in past years has also played host to that much accomplished champion of local food, Michael Caines. More
Foodie place to stay nearby Kentisbury Grange

Dartmouth Food Festival
October 24-26
As you’d expect from this foodie town, Dartmouth’s food festival is one of the best. Inspired by the area’s strong links to farming, fishing and producing, the festival’s focus is in Market Square, where the main events such as cookery demonstrations, children’s activities and wine tasting are held. In the evenings the local art galleries open for a range of exhibitions, while the local restaurants serve festival-inspired dishes – and of course there are lots of food and drink stalls offering tastes of excellent produce from the area. More
Foodie places to stay nearby The Royal Castle