'Taste' Festival 2010

The 2010 'Taste' Local Food & Drink Festival this year runs from 1 to 17 October - lots and lots of events to choose from - something for everyone and a great opportunity to find out about some of our local food and drink producers. 

To launch the 2010 Festival, "Trading Local" will be performed by Bedminster-based Show of Strength Theatre Company in shops up the length of the main shopping street (Broad Street and High Street) in Staple Hill on Saturday 2nd October from 10am (last performance 4.20pm).  Following on from their success in Brislington, Exeter and Westbury-on-Trym, "Trading Local" consists of a series of 5-minute monologues in local shops - stories and poems with a foodie focus - promises to be great fun! For a full programme (published early September) visit www.showofstrength.org.uk

This year we welcome back many of our regular producers who take part in 'Taste' - Severn View Farm, Tortworth Farm Shop, Perry & Son Family Butchers, Hobbs House Bakery, Marshfield Bakery to name a few.

New this year are several events to celebrate orchards in the area, supported by the South Gloucestershire Orchard Project - learning about pruning top fruit trees, helping make apple juice and cider, discovering a local orchard near where you live.

Chipping Sodbury Food Festival is another new entrant this year - the town's Chamber of Commerce has organised many attractions on Saturday 9th October, including an extended farmers' market, chocolate making workshop and much more.

For full details of the programme for 2010, follow this link to the council's website where you can download a copy now.  Paper copies of the programme will be available from late August onwards in libraries, One-Stop shops, community centres, tourist information centres, doctors' surgeries and at the producers venues themselves - and can also be requested by ringing the Sustainability Team on 01454-863883 or e-mailing: localfood@southglos.gov.uk

Chilli tasting champions 2009!  Manor Farm's recently opened Chilli Farm drew crowds to not only see how and where they are grown, but also to test their abilities in tasting some of the hottest on the farm! Their event (12-4pm) is on 11th September in 2010 - before the main festival and includes The Chilli Evening Festival (7-11pm) which is by ticket only.  Ring 0117-9328800 for details.

Did you know?

• This year 39 individual events have been organised for 2010

• About 9,000 people attended last year's festival

A detailed report on the month-long festival can be viewed on the South Gloucestershire Council's website

The Taste Festival Stall at last year's encouraged people to eat local and seasonal food - not only because it is fresher, tastier and often less expensive, but also because it is good for the environment too - saving much in carbon emissions and packaging.