2012 May Bank Holiday – why not visit the Dales Festival of Food & Drink?

The Dales Festival of Food & Drink - 5-7 May 2012. Photo courtesy of the Dales Festival of Food & Drink.

The Dales Festival of Food and Drink must be one of the most satisfying places to visit on a bank holiday weekend. Not only does getting there involve travelling through some of the most stunning countryside, but on arrival there’s all the delicious breads, cakes, cheeses, fish, honey, meats, pasties, preserves, sweets and vegetables to sample. And plenty of stuff to wash the food down with, including real ales, wines and soft drinks at the Real Ale and Cider Festival in the Drinks Marquee.

It sounds totally delicious just writing about it, but to be there is to be in foodie heaven.

And there’ll also be gifts, clothes and book stalls.

The Dales is all about farming, so there will, of course, be a livestock marquee with adult and young farm animals, plus demonstrations of traditional farming skills such as sheep-shearing, bread-making, dry stone walling, hedge laying, beekeeping, brewing, wood-turning and cheesemaking, as well as indoor and outdoor stands.

But that’s not all. In the Theatre Marquee, a plethora of chefs and catering lecturers will be providing demonstrations and instruction across a wide range of cuisines and techniques.

Cookery Demonstration in the Theatre Marquee - photo courtesy of the Dales Festival of Food & Drinkq

There’ll also be music – trad jazz alternating with brass or silver bands, plus Morris men and sword dancers – and guest speakers such as Peter Robinson, Martyn Johnson and one of Yorkshire’s favourite after-dinner speakers, Gervase Phinn.

And if the kids start to get bored, whisk them off to the fairground with its traditional village-style family funfair, courtesy of Craske’s Traditional Amusements. And for daring kids of all ages the Bungee Trampolines are a must-experience.

You can get to Leyburn by car (the site is on the A684) or by train (the Wensleydale Railway has a station at Leyburn) and on the Sunday the Dalesbus will be operating.

With a wide range of catering stalls offering numerous take-away options, this is one Festival where you won’t go away hungry.

The Dales Festival of Food and Drink, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 5SG

Open 10am to 5pm daily

Tickets: one-day adult ticket £8.00, three-day adult ticket £12.00, under 16s free (must be accompanied by an adult)

You can find out more about the Dales Festival of Food and Drink here, and if you’d like accommodation in Leyburn during the festival, see here.