Looking for some delicious eats during your visit to Cornwall? Look no further– just check out our comprehensive guide to the best Cornwall food festivals!
Whether you’re looking for markets or Cornwall street food festivals, this list has it all.
Get ready for amazing food, delicious drinks, and an outrageous range of activities and events! Let’s kick off with what food to look out for:
Classic Cornish Fare
Wondering what sorts of culinary delights to expect on your trip? Here’s just a few of the iconic foods of the region to keep your eye out for!
The Cornish Pasty
Also known as an oggy, this lush and flaky pastry traditionally contains beef, onion, potato, and turnip. A hearty bite sure to warm you to your core!
While the classic pasty is undeniably good, keep your eye out at these festivals for the many different innovative versions of the pasty that have sprung up over time.
Steak and cheese or vegan kimchi pasty, anyone?
Cream Tea
Are you team Cornish Cream Tea or Devon Cream Tea?
Arguably Cornwall’s most iconic tea time treat, a cream tea consists of a simple scone sliced in half, slathered with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
It sounds simple enough, but the expertise and local ingredients make this a snack to remember– not to mention the age-old question: cream or jam first?
Be careful — this is the true test of cream tea aficionados!
Cornish Yarg
Cornish Yarg is a scrumptious, semi-hard cheese with an edible rind, local to Cornwall.
This dairy delight was coined in the 1960’s by Jenny and Allan Gray, by flipping their surname!
Saffron Buns
Steeped in rich history, the saffron bun stands out as an unlikely delight sprung from Cornwalls trading history.
Enjoy this sweet and springy bun with clotted cream or butter, and a lovely cuppa!
Stargazy Pie
Feeling adventurous? Grab a slice of this outrageous pie, featuring potatoes, eggs, and pilchards (sardines).
This pie is most notable for the arrangement of the fish, which features their wee heads poking upwards towards the sky.
Cornish Fairings
Enjoy these spicey, butter biscuits with a snap– perfect with a cup of tea.
Fairings get their name from the fairgrounds they were originally sold at — no wonder they are such a treat!
Food Festivals in Cornwall
Now that you know a bit about what to expect, here are some of the finest food festivals in Cornwall!
Porthleven Food Festival
When
Late April
What’s On
Porthleven Food Festival is an annual free-to-attend festival featuring live music and an array of delicious food and drinks available to purchase.
A definite highlight is the Chef’s Theatre, where you can watch internationally renowned chefs prepare food right in front of you!
Past chefs have included heads of Michelin star kitchens and television competitors.
For those attending with kids, there’s heaps to do in the family field including crafting, circus acts to watch or try your hand in yourself, a treasure hunt, and a chance to meet a mermaid!
For the night owls, there are evening music gigs and gourmet net loft nights to elevate your Porthleven experience.
The Porthleven Food Festival also keeps it green by promoting reuse and reduction of plastic waste, as shown in their Big Top plastic-free costume competition.
Something Unique to Try
Feed your brain and soul at the Literary Stage, featuring local authors, storytellers, and acoustic musicians.
Children’s book authors and other entertainers for kids will also be around!
St Ives Food and Drink Festival
When
Early May
What’s On
Enjoy a packed musical lineup and the best food and drink on offer from a range of local vendors at St Ives Food and Drink Festival!
Located at Porthminster Beach, the festival is free to attend and runs over three days.
Highlights include demonstrations from world famous chefs, a range of street food vendors, an artisan market with local and imported goods, and gorgeous artists galleries.
Plenty of fun is available for the whole family, ranging from a selection of bars and a fire pit to heaps of kids activities like crafts, sports, and table tennis!
Something Unique to Try
Not sure if you’re craving a beer or something sweet? Try the Milkshake IPA from award winning St Austell Brewery!
Mevagissey Feast Week
When
Late June – Early July
What’s on
Dating all the way back to the 1700’s, Mevagissey Feast Week is a celebration of the town, its people, and its heritage.
There’s heaps on every day, from a parade with a marching band and floats, live music, boat races, and a spectacular fireworks display.
Iconic flags speaking to the history of the Feast Week and the region will be fluttering in the breeze as you explore the cobbled streets of this traditional fishing village.
There is also,of course, so much to eat and drink! Enjoy a wide range of fish dishes caught fresh and local, live cooking demonstrations from local chefs, and beer, wine, ciders, and spirits sourced in Mevagissey and around the region.
Something Unique to Try
Feeling competitive? Try your hand at crab catching; the heaviest crab wins!
With both an adults’ and a childrens’ competition, no one will be left out. Just try your best not to get pinched!
Falmouth Oyster Festival
When
Early/Mid October
What’s on
Falmouth Oyster Festival celebrates all things oyster.
This includes preparation demonstrations, an oyster shucking competition, and of course– plenty of delicious, freshly-harvested, local Fal oysters for you to enjoy.
Fal oysters are world renowned for their taste and sustainability, and have been highly sought after for centuries.
The Falmouth Oyster Bar is unrivalled in its dedication to sticking to its roots: it operates the same way it has been for 500 years!
In fact, only man-power boats are allowed in the harvest area, oars or sails being less disruptive for the oyster beds than propeller engines.
The festival also features Laurent Perrier champagne, a range of craft brews, live music and guest chefs.
If you’re all oystered out, a range of local food stalls and gourmet booths will also be operating.
Something Unique to Try
Get transported onto the set of your favourite cooking show with the Falmouth Oyster Festival’s Hot Chef Challenge!
The newcomer will battle the reigning champion as the kitchen heats up in a competition of gourmet cookery skills.
Royal Cornwall Show
When
Early June
What’s on
There is so much to see and do at the Royal Cornwall Show! This event runs across three days, and features show animals including livestock, dogs, and rabbits.
In the main ring you can catch skilled horse riding performances, BMX tricks– and even a display by a parachute team!
Touted by some as the event of the year, the Royal Cornwall Show is a monument to the triumph of Cornish agriculture and sport.
Enjoy local fare while you watch, with loads of food stalls available as well as full meals provided close to the grounds.
You can also sample a range of locally brewed beers and ciders in Cornwall, and fresh-fruit stalls are sure to be abundant this time of year.
Something Unique to Try
If you’re lucky, you might catch the Decorated Harness show!
It features a parade competition of working horses, all with ornate brass and fabric harness decorations– a long standing tradition originally meant to ward off evil. It’s certainly not something you can see anywhere else in the world!
Rock Oyster Festival
When
Late July
What’s on
Get your jam on with an incredible lineup for the Rock Oyster Festival, which has previously featured artists such as The Happy Mondays, Laura Mvula, Nick Mulvey, Passenger, Gilles Peterson, Jade Bird, Huey Morgan, and Soul II Soul.
International headline acts in combination with super-talented local musicians means you’re in for a treat!
Get fuelled up for a boogie with incredibly tasty food, with alfresco fare from Michelin chefs, BBQ, and local street food.
That’s not to mention you can get an inside look at the action with an assortment of demonstrations offered throughout the festival.
Something Unique to Try
Learn a crazy new skill (or just have some fun) with a range of activities and classes offered throughout the festival. Try your hand at slacklining, aerial yoga, or tie dye to embrace the mellow.
If you’re feeling even more adventurous, give paddleboarding, sea kayaking, archery, or foraging a go! There’s definitely something for everyone here.
Newlyn Fish Festival
When
Late August
What’s on
The Newlyn Fish Festival is perfect for those visitors wanting to get an inside look on how the Cornwall community works, especially in regards to fish and seafood auctions.
These types of events are a staple for the local community, and attending the festival offers locals and tourists alike a classic experience.
Newlyn Fish market, one of the best markets in Cornwall and just east of Penzance, operates year-round.
However, during the festival it transforms. The festival features local chefs demonstrating their near-magical seafood skills, as well as giving everyone the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of their labour and of the sea.
Out on the quay, a range of entertainment and nautical skills will also be on display once you’ve eaten your fill.
Something Unique to Try
Witness some fierce competition when you catch the Lugger-Rowing World Championship!
Teams row sleek beautiful boats the length of the harbour in a fight for the highly coveted Golden Pilchard.
Cornish Winter Fair
When
Late November
What’s on
For something a bit different, check out the Cornish Winter Fair!
This celebration of food and farming includes a stock show, with lots of live farm animals to check out.
The competition includes sheep and cattle showing, along with a range of crafts, baking, and produce. You could witness the finest ewe in Cornwall if you’re lucky, or even the largest potato of the year!
The winter market runs across two days, and features local catering and handicrafts.
There’s loads to do with the kids as well, including a Cornish farming and agriculture discovery zone, animals to pet, and competitive classes.
Something Unique to Try
Get a real feel for life on the farm by milking a mock cow! Do you have what it takes, or will Bessy get the best of you?
Newquay Beer Festival
When
Late September
What’s on
For those wanting to drink for a cause, the Newquay Beer Festival offers the ideal environment of guilt-free indulgence.
Featuring over a hundred beers and ciders from around Cornwall, you can leave here with a newfound appreciation for the local tipple: if you ever want to leave that is!
The beer festival also features free performances from a range of musical artists.
Accommodation is available nearby, as well as onsite beach camping, so you can fully appreciate the local booze without needing to find your way home after.
All proceeds go to supporting local charities, including healthcare, hospice, and wildlife organisations.
Something Unique to Try
Sip on an Atlantic Cornish Gin and chilled fizz (ice, lemon, sugar, and soda water) at Chrissie’s Sunshine Bar!
This local distillery is award winning, and features many unique gin flavours including chilli, earl grey, and christmas pudding.
Bude Food Festival
When
Early April
What’s on
Want a royal feel to your local dining experience? Look no further, as the Bude Food Festival is located on the grounds of picturesque Bude Castle.
The castle, dating back to 1830, overlooks the seaside and is the perfect backdrop for a celebration of food and drink.
Highlights include locally reared and manufactured sausages, fresh bakery goods including breads and pastries, and local gin, beer, and cider.
Something Unique to Try
Travelling with a pup? They wouldn’t want to miss out on the fine dining at Bude Food Festival which offers two different doggy treat stands, both locally and organically made!
Head to Cornwall to Fill Your Belly!
With everything that’s on your visit is sure to be jam packed!
Cornwall’s food festivals are just bursting with vibrant fun, delicious food and drink, and fascinating local culture and history.
Whether you’re snacking on a cream tea up at a castle, getting your hands dirty catching crabs, or sitting back with fresh local oysters and champagne to die for, your Cornwall trip will certainly be one you’ll never forget!
Introducing Eliot, the Editor here and Cornwall local with a wanderlust spirit and an insatiable appetite for adventure. With a passion for the great outdoors, he can often be found catching waves on his surfboard, scaling peaks on a hiking trail, or discovering hidden gems in his exploration of Cornwall.