Summer has drawn to a close. The kids have been suited and booted and packed off to school. The farmers are out in force harvesting and the family holidays are over for another year. Yet just because everyone is returning to their normal routines doesn’t mean that the festival season is winding down – it’s anything but! Throughout September and October there are a huge amount of food festivals and events taking place.
Many of these events are part of The Gathering, which if you don’t know already, is an Irish initiative to entice overseas visitors to visit our Emerald Isle and to reconnect with their roots. From Dublin to Drogheda, Waterford to Westport, hundreds of events are taking place and there is definitely something for everyone to enjoy. So what’s happening in the world of food festivals? Well first off in September there are the big well known food festivals such as the Waterford Harvest Festival, a Taste of West Cork, and the Galway Oyster and Seafood Festival. These festivals have loads of events, demonstrations and activities happening and this year they also have an added element for the Gathering. The Grow It Yourself Gathering will be held during the Waterford Harvest Festival while the Galway festival will have a Tribal Oyster Feast Off to see who can eat the most oysters!
Then there are the smaller festivals such as the Drogheda Food Festival, the Offaly Harvest Festival and the Dublin Harvest Festival. These offer a smaller range of food fairs and activities but will no doubt still be lively events. For a more vintage day out you could check out the Enniskerry Victorian Field Day and be transported back to the early days of steam threshing.
October is headlined by the ever impressive Savour Kilkenny Food Festival which always has a very creative line up including cheese making, a craft beer carnival and a clergy cook off! Such a great event doesn’t mean though that you should overlook what else is happening during the month. You could visit an island in Galway for A Taste of Inishbofin or travel to the edge of Ireland for the Dingle Food Festival. For something a bit more unique, check out the International Mushroom Festival where it’s all about the fungi!
For beer and cider lovers September and October are your months. In Tipperary the Slow Food Apple and Craft Cider Festival is celebrating all things appley while a few weeks later Cloughtoberfest will be bringing music and craft beer to the masses. Then it’s on to Oktoberfest in Dublin, a full two weeks of entertainment, music and beer in George’s Dock. For a few smaller beer orientated festivals why not check out the Newry Oktoberfest, the Harvest Fleadh Oktoberfest in Kildare, the Salmon and Whiskey Festival in Co. Antrim or Oktoberfest Beag in Cork.
So there is plenty happening to keep you occupied as the days get shorter and the nights get longer. Though I know none of us will mind that happening as we will all be too busy out enjoying all the wonderful events that are on offer! Also if you plan on experiencing a few of these Gatherings and want to see more of Ireland why not have a look at Enterprise Rent – a – Car. Make sure you book in advance for the very best rates and don’t forget to check out their great weekend offers too. Let Enterprise Rent-a-Car help you to make the most of Ireland and your time off.
To check out a full list of events taking place throughout the country see the Irish Food Festivals and Events page here.
Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Enterprise Rent - a - Car. The content has been written by me and all opinions are my own.
N.B The Drogheda Food Festival has been cancelled.
N.B The Drogheda Food Festival has been cancelled.
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