Taking place in the county’s culinary capital of Stone, a charming Georgian market town, the Stone Food & Drink Festival is kindly supported by Joule’s Brewery and sees 10 days of festivities taking place at pubs, bars and shops throughout town; culminating in the ‘big weekend’ on Westbridge Park from Friday, 4 to Sunday, 6 October. The festival invites foodies to ‘eat, drink, shop, learn and enjoy’ – gathering over 100 stalls ranging from artisan food & drink producers in the Gourmet Marquee to global street food vendors, gin & fizz bars – plus a strong turnout of Staffordshire breweries.
The ‘learn’ element sees top local chefs give live cookery demonstrations on the hour, every hour. Other opportunities to increase foodie knowledge come in a packed programme for the Talks & Tastings tent, where passionate producers wax lyrical, through the opportunity to sign up for hands-on Culinary Masterclasses covering everything from cupcake decorating to cheese & wine pairing, making sauerkraut from scratch and cooking an impressive dinner party dish. There are free kids’ cookery classes available on Saturday and Sunday, too.
Elsewhere, families can enjoy free circus skills masterclasses and big top shows courtesy of Panic Family Circus, before testing their skills at crazy golf, getting their faces painted or trying out some crafty activities. A superb line-up of live bands, meanwhile, will ensure the party atmosphere continues over all three days. Those travelling by car are advised to use the handy Park & Ride service located just outside town at the award-winning Aston Marina restaurant and venue.
When is the Stone Food Festival?
Stone Food Festival will be held from Friday, 4 October until Sunday, 6 October 2019 at the main festival site, Westbridge Park:
- Friday 12 noon – 7pm (last admission 6pm)
- Saturday 10am – 6pm (last admission 5pm)
- Sunday 10am – 6pm (last admission 5pm)
How much are tickets?
You can either get a day ticket or three-day pass. Tickets can be bought at the gate, but you save 10% off ticket prices when you pre-book the tickets online. Also accompanied under 16s get free entry!
Westbridge Park Entry
- £7pp / day
- £15pp /three-day pass
- Friday Concessions – £3pp on production of valid NUS card or Bus Pass (FRIDAY ONLY)
Here’s a short video of the festival:
Things you need to know
* No dogs allowed
* Parking – We recommend using the park and ride facility.
* Check out their FAQ page for more details
About the Stone Food & Drink Festival
The Stone Food & Drink Festival is a non-profit organisation, founded in 2004 to bring the community together to celebrate the very best of local produce. Since the first event in 2005, the festival has gone from strength to strength – in 2018 attracting some 20,000 visitors to town through festival week. Attended by leading businesses, pubs and producers from across the county and beyond, it is recognised as an excellent platform to promote food and drink. The 2019 Stone Food & Drink Festival will take place from 4 to 6 October 2019 and organisers once again have plans for expansion, with old favourites such as the gourmet marquee, farmers’ market, chef demonstrations, cookery classes, talks & tastings, beer tent and pop-up restaurant in addition to a host of exciting new events.
