The 6th annual Galway Food Festival will take place over the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend from the 13–17 April 2017. This year the festival’s theme will celebrate the relationship between ‘Food and Community’ through an innovative food programme of over 100 events, focusing on Galway’s 21st Century cultural identity through food.
The Galway Food Festival 2017 is keen to build on Galway’s growing reputation as the Food Capital of the Wild Atlantic Way through the extended involvement of food producers, suppliers and outlets located along the western seaboard, and in the festival’s markets and events programme. And with Galway being selected as the European Region of Gastronomy in 2018, the Festival will build on Galway’s food story and the important role food tourism will play throughout the entire West coast.
The theme of ‘Food and Community’ will feature a stimulating programme of over 100 food-based events celebrating the importance of sharing food together to promote a healthy community that starts in the home. Through an extensive programme of talks, workshops, tours and in-house events, the festival will encourage people to reconnect with where their food comes from, tapping back into our knowledge of what nature can provide for us.
A spotlight to unite several diverse communities and groups living within Galway City and County will showcase what their relationship with food is like and the culture of how they share their food together. Communities will include new immigrants, sports, schools and youth groups, and the restaurant and food community.
Commenting on this year’s festival theme, organiser, Heather Flaherty said: “Food is not just fuel for the body. Food is about family, food is about community, food is about identity. And we nourish all those things when we eat well. When we start trying to make healthier choices, we discover many of the choices that are good for our own personal health are also good for the environment, our community, and our local economy. Festival organiser, Michelle Crehan added: “Buying local is just one of the obvious answers to supporting our food community. When you spend your money with a local shop and farmer, that money goes back into the local economy.”
Galway Food Festival and Slow Food Galway will collaborate on My Grannies Recipes inviting the public to explore food with your Grandmother (or Grandfather, Aunt, Uncle or Parent). Young people are encouraged talk to their grandparents or other family members about their traditional family recipes. The Festival will select the 10 best entries to showcase their recipes and a dish at The Kitchen Restaurant in Galway City Museum on Good Friday.
Breaking Bread, a community driven event, will bring together various cultural, religious, sporting and special interest groups to share food, stories and ideas. The event will be hosted by Galway Food Festival in conjunction with Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture and hopes to create a legacy of community inclusion and collaboration, and will include a charity food drive.
Visitors can once again savour the many foods available at the open air markets and Festival Village at Fish Market Square, Spanish Arch. Additional events will include an extended food trail, the ever popular talks at Druid’s Mick Lally Theatre, the ‘Made in Galway’ demo tent and an expansion of the eclectic programme of Food Tours. There will be lots of in-house events that will include exciting pop ups, cocktail classes, wine and whiskey tastings and a comprehensive schedule of talks on a range of topical issues within the food and drinks industry.
For further information contact info@galwayfoodfestival.com or view Festival 2016 video footage, photographs and regular Festival 2017 updates at www.galwayfoodfestival.com
