County Kerry is preparing to welcome visitors from across the country and further afield for the Dingle Food Festival.
The Dingle Peninsula proudly enjoys justified renown as one of the best places to visit in all of Ireland. One key reason is its festivals, such as Other Voices and the Dingle Literary Festival.
One of the highlights of the Dingle calendar, however, is undoubtedly the Dingle Food Festival.
The festival, which kicks off this Friday (29 September), will see the town welcome visitors from across Ireland and even further afield to sample local and international culinary delights.
Main events – what to look out for at Dingle Food Festival
As usual, the farmers’ market will open on Friday, followed by 59 stalls around Dingle’s Bridge Street, Grey’s Lane, and Orchard Lane on Saturday and Sunday.
Highlights of the market include Bahay (Filipino), On The Wild Side (charcuterie), Hungry Donkey (falafel), and Malay Kitchen (Malaysian).
The festival will also feature cookery demonstrations at St James’ Church on Main Street by local chefs, as well as a range of food workshops at venues across the town.
Bear in mind that both the cookery demonstrations and workshops are ticketed events. Tickets can be found on the Dingle Food Festival website.
The Taste Trail – the pièce de résistance
The most popular event, and perhaps the highlight of the Dingle Food Festival, is the Taste Trail. Again, tickets are required but remain available via the website.
Tickets allow festival goers to visit over 70 establishments across Dingle that showcase the alimentary delights on offer on the peninsula.
So why not make your way around Dingle, sampling such culinary delights as deep-fried Mars Bar from Harrington’s Restaurant on Strand Street and oysters and creamy mussels from Killorglin’s Réalt na Mara Shellfish, serving out of Curran’s on Main Street?
Zero waste – the festival’s environmental aim this year
This year, the Dingle Food Festival has put renewed emphasis on reducing waste across the weekend.
As such, it has collaborated with Transition Corca Dhuibhne and Kerry County Council to provide ticketholders with a festival pack that includes “all you need to sample the delights of the Dingle Food Festival”.
For just €10, each visitor will receive a plate, bowl, cup, and cutlery made from durable and reusable eco-friendly bamboo in an organic cotton bag. Rinse stations will also be available throughout the town to clean dishes and cutlery between tastings.
Many vendors at the festival’s market are also making efforts to reduce plastic waste and will offer customers compostable containers and cutlery.
See the full programme and secure tickets for necessary events at the Dingle Food Festival website.
