A weekend of fun, learning, creativity and shared experiences
Would you like to taste exceptional food from some of Ireland’s most exciting chefs, dine on a divine fish feast out at sea, or experience shepherding on a sustainable farm? Or perhaps you’d enjoy skewer-based dining, or the intrigue of a blindfold banquet?
All this and more awaits at Waterford Festival of Food, which returns from April 25 to 27.
A vibrant, exciting, inclusive programme has just been announced for Ireland’s largest and longest-running community food festival, an annual event which provides a major boost to the local economy.
With nearly 100 events on offer, the festival showcases the best of Waterford’s rich food heritage. This year’s programme ensures the three-day event remains a vibrant celebration of taste, community, and shared experiences. While the main hub will be in Dungarvan, events will also take place in Lismore, Ardmore, Villierstown, Ballyduff, Cappoquin, and Kilmeaden.
At its heart, Waterford Festival of Food is about connection—bringing together chefs, producers, and food lovers, fostering meaningful connections between people, place, and plate.
Inclusivity
Inclusivity is a key theme in this year’s festival and organisers have collaborated with Autism Friendly Dungarvan. To easily identify activities which offer an Autism Friendly experience, look for the Gold Infinity Sign. There will also be a special LÁMH cookery demo on the Saturday in Dungarvan Castle, by Aisling Larkin (TV Chef), Deirdre Coleman (RTÉ Junior TV), and Nollaig Hennessey.
Family Fun
The festival is packed with activities for all ages, including the Family Farm Bus, celebrating the charm of local farms, and a Kids’ Bake Off at Curran’s Store, where young bakers can showcase their talents. At Lismore Courthouse Theatre, ‘Guts of Digestion’ offers a hands-on STEM workshop exploring what happens to food after you eat it. Families can also enjoy a 90-minute food river tour and picnic, or take part in workshops ranging from cupcake decorating and pizza making to Grow it Yourself (GIY) and donut storytime. Meanwhile, Hive will host ‘Tactile Taste Sensory Stars,’ an event featuring fruit printing, pasta crafting, edible playdough, and cereal-based play, designed especially for sensory-sensitive and neurodiverse children.
Wellness and Outdoors
Kickstart your Saturday or Sunday at “Fit for Breakfast”, sponsored by Flahavans in The Town Park, led by top personal trainer Karl Henry. This will be followed by a delicious breakfast inspired by Flahavans oats at 360 Cookhouse – the perfect combination of fitness, nutrition, motivation and fun. Other wellness events include a sunset yoga, a luxury retreat, mindful mocktail making, forest bathing and more.
Food tours are a major highlight of the festival, with the Mountain Splendour Taste Tour in the Comeragh Mountains offering insights into shepherding, sustainable farming, and forest foraging. Meanwhile, ‘Meet the Makers: Grain, Grape, and Apple Tour’ introduces guests to Waterford’s finest brewers, cider makers, and distillers.
Dining Experiences:
Showcasing the festival’s stellar food credentials, there are exceptional dining experiences planned. Taste Waterford Tapas Trails are back by popular demand and another festival tradition returns too with The Dungarvan Lunch Time Restaurant Trail.
The Cookhouse hosts Rugby, Roast & Rhetoric: Taste Waterford Lunch with George Hook, while there’s a unique and hands-on dining experience at Merry’s called The Whole Hog, with farm-to-fork butcher Joe O’Reilly.
A wonderful new event on the programme is Elegance at the Castle: An Ashford Castle Gourmet Evening at Lismore on the Saturday night. Also new is an exclusive lunch at Mount Congreve Gardens with two of Waterford’s lauded chefs, Luis Martin from Mara Waterford and Jean Baptiste Dubois of Mount Congreve.
A night of exceptional Irish food takes place at an event called At Home with Danni Barry on Saturday night in Dungarvan Tennis Club. Danni is one of Ireland’s most exciting chefs, the second female chef in Ireland to earn a Michelin star.
Another female making waves at the festival will be Irish Chef of Year ’24 Aishling Moore with Goldie goes on an Adventure at Sea. Aishling and her team will prepare a delectable fish lunch aboard the ‘Klevia’, in the tiniest galley kitchen you have ever seen.
Something very different is being hosted by Jonny Boyles, called Sticks @Cass&Co, a cool and quirky event, with no cutlery, only sticks. This skewer-based dining experience blends Japanese elements with modern, inventive touches.
There’s another wonderful innovative event being hosted at Merry’s Dungarvan – The Blindfold Banquet. The catch? You’ll have to let your tastebuds guess what you’re consuming!
Other standout events include Ryan O’Sullivan’s ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ at The Old Bank, and an intimate gathering night of music and memories from Clancy’s Kitchen in the Town Hall.
Unique collaborations, such as a pop-up dinner by Eamo and Ro with chef Temple Garner and a Kitchen Takeover by St Frances Provisions at the Tannery Cookery School ensure the festival remains a vibrant celebration of flavour, community, and shared experiences.
Other well-known names set to appear include chefs Caitlin Ruth at Dún Bakery, Patrick Lee at St Mary’s Church and Eric Matthews at The Moorings.
Running all week at Currans Store will be Bitesize: Stories Behind the Bite, an exhibition of photos and stories of local food heroes, following on from last year’s hugely popular exhibition.
On Sunday, ACT Waterford’s Community Mosaic will be unveiled. The 40 ft installation, on Richard A. Walsh Street, was made from hundreds of donated pieces of crockery, lovingly repurposed by more than 150 volunteers, over seven months.
Speaking at the launch, Eunice Power, Festival Director said, “We are incredibly proud of this year’s festival. Each year, we build on the strong foundations of Waterford’s rich food heritage, hospitality, and tradition, while introducing fresh, exciting elements. We are particularly thrilled to collaborate with Autism Friendly Dungarvan, ensuring the festival is more accessible than ever. Waterford Festival of Food is a testament to the power of community, bringing people together through shared experiences and a love of great food.”
Waterford Festival of Food is sponsored by Clean Zone Technology, Boston Scientific and Flahavans, with many more partners and friends of the festival.
For a full programme see waterfordfestivaloffood.com.