FOOD & DRINK FOOD & DRINK
FOOD GLORIOUS (FESTIVAL) FOOD
Summer is here, which means a packed schedule of festivals. But don’t forget your stomach amidst all the hedonism as Scotland’s growing calendar of food festivals are a great way to kick back with friends and discover new food and drink while basking in the summer sun. Jo Laidlaw rounds up the best
E dinburgh is the festival city so it’s no surprise that the capital has lined up a strong schedule of food festivals this summer. Why not kick-off the belly-busting fun with something homegrown and community-led? The Power of Food Festival aims to celebrate Edinburgh’s community gardens, unique spaces dotted all over the city where residents come together to grow food. Over 20 gardens will be open to the public across a weekend; some have special events like poetry workshops, music, storytelling or full-blown garden fetes while others promise a more low-key chance to share food and connect with local growers. Sustrans are also doing their bit, creating cycle routes to help you explore unfamiliar areas, so why not grab the bike and explore some hidden corners of your own city? You know that weekend in Edinburgh where there’s nothing to do? Nope, us neither. Cleverly i lling that teeny-tiny gap between the Jazz Festival and the Fringe, Edinburgh Food Festival will celebrate the best of Scottish produce once again in George Square this July. With street food legends like Jarvis Pickle and Chick + Pea (plus more to be announced) there’s an interactive atmosphere with plenty for the kids to do, especially on the weekend mornings. Last year, 25,000 people took advantage of free entry, so expect a buzzy atmosphere.
Glasgow’s links with Indian food are so strong that it’s a surprise it’s taken so long for someone to come up with the Indian Food Bazaar. Held in the Briggait in July, it’s billed as Scotland’s biggest ever festival of Indian food with stalls from the country’s six main culinary regions cooking up a huge range of diverse dishes, with cocktails and mocktails also featuring Indian ingredients as well as traditional Indian music and DJs. Glasgow has long been at the leading-edge of vegan culture in Scotland, and Vegan Connections aims to celebrate it fully. They’ll take over SWG3 with performances from international and local musicians and artists, a market place and lots of food in August.
Fancy a day trip? Celebrating Scotland’s larder isn’t coni ned to Edinburgh and Glasgow and there are plenty of places and events worth visiting over the next couple of months. V in the Park is a completely vegan festival, with camping, talks, stalls, live music and plenty of plant-based food. In June, the eighth annual Crail Food Festival takes over the area around the harbour; a beautiful setting for talks, tastings and demos, lots of family fun and plenty of local seafood to taste. Expect a similar vibe in Anstruther at the end of July, where the Anstruther Harbour Festival will revive the historic Anster Fair market alongside viking re-enactments. Bring your own helmet.
Crail Food Festival, Crail, Sat 9 & Sun 10 Jun, crailfoodfest.co.uk The Power of Food Festival, various locations in Edinburgh, Sat 16 & Sun 17 Jun, poweroffoodfestival.wordpress.com
V in the Park, Balloch O’ Dee campsite, Kirkcowan, Newton Stewart, Fri 6–Mon 9 Jul, facebook/ vinthepark
Indian Food Bazaar: A Culinary Journey, The Briggait, Glasgow, Sat 14 & Sun 15 Jul, facebook/ indian food bazaar Edinburgh Food Festival, George Square, Edinburgh, Wed 25–Sun 29 Jul, edfoodfest.com
Anstruther Harbour Festival, Anstruther, Sat 28 & Sun 29 Jul, anstrutherharbourfestival.co.uk Vegan Connections, SWG3, Glasgow, Fri 10 & Sat 11 Aug, vegan-connections.com
62 THE LIST 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018