Some 10,000 visitors are set to arrive in the city this coming weekend for Bake Fest Galway, with an estimated €1 million to be injected into the local economy.
The two day festival taking place in Leisureland this Saturday and Sunday from 11am, is Ireland’s biggest baking festival and competition. Some of Ireland’s top chefs will be in attendance sharing their baking skills and secrets with guests including Patrick Ryan (BBC2 and author ), Lilly Higgins (author and Sunday Business Post food columnist ), Edward Hayden (TV3 and author ), Kevin Thornton (double Michelin star chef ), and Emer Murray (Goya’s ).
Organised by Goodness Cakes in association with ACT for Meningitis, Bake Fest Galway is a free event with all funds generated going towards the meningitis awareness charity.
Jennie Browne of Goodness Cakes and Director of Bake Fest Galway says: “We’re thrilled with the response to the event from both visitors and competitors. Bake Fest Galway is the only major competition in Ireland for professional and novice bakers. We’re delighted to provide a platform for them to showcase their talents. It was always an ambition of the chefs involved in Bake Fest Galway to share their baking knowledge and skills with visitors to the festival. This interest is vital to retaining the integrity of baking and the joy it offers people.”
Double Michelin-starred chef Kevin Thornton will fittingly speak about his meningitis experience with visitors. He will share the story of how he and his family dealt with his son Conor contracting the meningitis B strain of the virus and his subsequent recovery. ACT for Meningitis is a non-profit organisation established in 2011 by Siobhán and Noel Carroll, who in 2008 lost their precious daughter Aoibhe, aged four, to meningitis. Since losing Aoibhe, Siobhán and Noel Carroll believe there is an urgent need to increase awareness and educate people around the signs and symptoms of meningitis. The charity also assists those affected by the illness.
For further information on Bake Fest Galway e-mail [email protected], check out @galwaybakefest on Twitter and Facebook, call (091 ) 380 058, or visit www.bakefestgalway.wordpress.com
