Food lovers from near and far will be flocking to Ceredigion later this month for the Lampeter Food Fest which is celebrating 25 years on Saturday 27th July.
The event will be showcasing near on 100 Welsh food and drink producers from across West Wales and beyond, and now attracting in the region of 10,000 visitors each year. Lampeter Food Fest provides many of the region’s small and independent food and drink producers with the opportunity to reach a far wider audience with tastings and samples, highlighting the fabulous produce on offer in West Wales.
The Food Fest first came to life in 1998, thanks to Lampeter Chamber of Trade, which closed the town’s High Street to ensure that local producers could take center stage at the very first festival. Such was the success of that inaugural event but with space an issue, members of the Chamber approached the University of Wales Trinity St David with a view of holding the event on the Lampeter campus the following year. With that strong bond forged between Town and Gown, the 1999 festival was held on the campus. King Charles, then HRH The Prince of Wales, opened the event.
Thanks to the ongoing support of the University, the move enabled the festival to continue building a platform for showcasing our wonderful Welsh food and drink producers, but few of those original organisers could have imagined then that the annual event would grow to the extent that it has. Festival organisers are delighted therefore that the special guest officially opening the event this year at mid-day will be Professor Elwen Evans, KC, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. She will be joined by Lampeter Town Mayor Councilor Gabrielle Davies (Cadi & Grace) and Chamber of Trade Chair Sandra Louise Jervis (Creative Cove), who will have judged the various categories in our stallholders competition and will then award the prizes to the winners on the day. The theme of this year’s event is Celtic Heart, highlighting the pride we hold for our Celtic roots.
This year’s cookery corner will be held in the Lloyd Thomas Hall at the bottom end of the campus. There will be much more seating room than normal. This is also an opportunity for visitors to enjoy the campus grounds as they walk down to the venue. Cookery demonstrations will commence at 11am with Gareth Johns Head Chef at the Wynnstay Hotel and Welsh Ambassador for Slow Food. Following that at 1pm Huw Morgan, Coleg Ceredigion Catering and Hospitality Lecturer and Sam Everton, Chef Lecturer will be introducing visitors to the world of “Game” and showcasing elements of food service and cocktails, emphasizing local produce. Stephanie Hafferty, will present From Plot to Plate at 2.30, and Meinir Evans a local girl who has created her own business Hathren Brownies will delight the audience with Sweet Stuff at 3.30.
Also present at the Food Fest are many of the vendors from Lampeter Market, which is held on the second and fourth Saturday of every month on the campus and falls on the same day this year. Marchnad Llambed – Lampeter Market, previously called The Peoples Market won the UK Slow Food Award for the Best Market in Wales 2021, proving that Welsh food and drink producers have an important place in our Nation’s food economy.
Over the years, the festival has been grateful to receive Welsh Government funding which has helped cover the cost of the event and ensured Lampeter Food Fest has become a key event in the Welsh Food and Drink calendar Fest organisers are extremely grateful that the Food Division at Welsh Government have confirmed their financial support for this year’s event. Thanks, must also go to the following; UWTSD, LAS, NFUCymru and Dunbia for kindly sponsoring the event again this year.
There will be the usual entertainment marquee, with highlights including Côr Cwmann, Lampeter Ukelele Club, Robin Rae, Daley Bee, Corisma, Chris Kelly and others.
All in all, this year’s event promises to be another great attraction for the local community and visitors to Ceredigion while highlighting the importance of the food and drink industry to the Welsh economy. All of which could not be possible without the support of so many volunteers. Too many to name, but they all know who they are!!
So put the date in your diary now and head to Lampeter Food Fest at UWTSD’s Lampeter campus on Saturday, July 27. The event is free and starts at 10am until 5pm with blue badge parking available on site and further parking on the Pontfaen campus sports field which is on the right as you enter Lampeter on the A475 from Newcastle Emlyn. You will also be able to check out the wide range of shops and eateries in Lampeter as you walk to the festival.
For further information, email [email protected] or go to our website https://lampeterevents.co.uk/ymwelwyr-visitors