The 2017 Galway Food Festival (to run April 13-17 April during the Easter Bank Holiday weekend ) was launched on Monday in Caprice at Church Lane, Galway and it features a mouthwatering programme of events.
The festival theme of Food and the Community will feature a stimulating programme of over 100 food-based events celebrating the importance of sharing food together to promote a healthy community that starts in the home. Through an extensive programme of talks, workshops, tours and in-house events, the festival will encourage people to reconnect with where their food comes from, and learning more about what nature can provide for us.
Highlight events include Easter Monday’s Breaking Bread at the Spanish Arch in partnership with Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture and part of Cruinniú na Cásca - a Creative Ireland initiative of nationwide celebrations on Monday 17 April.
Breaking Bread aims to create a legacy of community inclusion, acceptance and collaboration with the theme #thisismyIreland, and will showcase and celebrate the varied and diverse community groups that are part of Galway’s modern community, using the love of food. Participating cultural groups will be bringing traditional and modern dishes to share with the public.
Halla Bia, will see Galway's very first indoor market showcasing over 40 indigenous food producers and suppliers throughout the West of Ireland who will showcase their produce in the old Tribune Printing Works in the city centre. This festival initiative is in partnership with the Local Enterprise Office. Hall Bia will be open to the public from Good Friday, 14 April through to Easter Sunday, 16 April.
Demonstrations
An exciting range of cookery demonstrations will be presented by an impressive line-up of chefs that will include; Domini Kemp, Gavin McDonagh from Brioche in Dublin, Jason O’Neill from the g, Wade Murphy from 1826, Mark Murphy from Dingle Cookery School, Lily Ramirez from Foran, David O’Donnell from Basserie on the Corner, Agata Lisik from The Kitchen, Brendan Keane from The King’s Head, Blair Crawford from Biteclub, Adrian Bane from the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Junichi Yoshiyagawa from Kappa-Ya, Vicky Donley from The House Hotel, Jp McMahon from Massimo, Aniar and Cava, Blessing Moyo from One World Tapestry and many more city centre food and restaurant outlets.
Food Tours will include Seasonal Food Foraging Walk and Talk; Seaweed Walk, Talk and Foraging; Cava on the Corrib; Tour of the Wild Salmon Fishery Cathrach; Galway Food Tours; Catch a Fish, Cook a Fish; and EAT Galway Taste Trail.
The ever popular Talk Series will feature a panel discussion with major international food ambassadors and Fáilte Ireland focusing on Food Along the Wild Atlantic Way; a screening of the multi award-winning film Atlantic and fish tastings followed by a Q&A with director, Risteard Ó Domhnaill, Lorna Siggins from The Irish Times and Eoin Warner from TG4.
Feast for the senses
A third talk will feature a panel discussion looking at how we can feed ourselves and live more sustainably using agroecology and regenerative ecological design practices. Speaking about the programme, festival organiser and owner of Builín Blasta Café and Bakery in Spiddal, Heather Flaherty said: “Community and food are so closely linked as every culture and community forms a large part of their identity through food whether during celebration, through tradition and history or simply daily dining rituals. We wanted to explore and celebrate this link by bringing together the many diverse community groups and cultures in Galway to share and learn about our different food identities. Galway Food Festival is a feast for the senses. Four days of farmers markets, food trucks, food tours, tastings, talks and demonstrations designed to get the community eating and talking about good food.” Thursday 13 April will feature the events: Colleran’s Butchers Counter Fresh; Dillisk on the Docks Dining on Dillisk – Seaweed Dining Experience; Tom Sheridan’s Bar and Restaurant Sea to Shore – Foods of the Wild Atlantic Way; Hotel Meyrick and CÚRAM’s Molecular Gastronomy workshop for kids; Mocha Beans Coffee Roasting Bootcamp; Tomodachi Sushi Bar Sushi Making Demonstration and Tasting; The House Hotel Food and Drink Pairing, A Galway Affair; Thomas Woodberry’s Third Wine Blind; and A Taste of Brasserie on the Corner.
Friday 14 April will feature: Builín Blasta Builín and Bogman; The Kings Head Bistro To Bee, or Not to Bee; Cava Bodega Pop Up Pincho Bar; Coffeewerk + Press Bean and Goose Chocolate Tasting; Hazel Mountain Chocolate Bean to Bar Chocolate Food and Tasting; McCambridge’s Sibín Fancy Dress Dinner Party; The Kitchen and Slow Food Galway’s Grandmother’s Day Competition; Eat at Massimo Kid’s Silent Disco; Tomodachi Sushi Bar Sushi Making Demonstration and Tasting; Cava on the Corrib; The Skeff Bar and Kitchen Sweet Treats, Breakfast Ideas and Quick Pasta and Hot Work Ideas.
Saturday 15 April will include: Tom Sheridan’s Bar and Restaurant Famous Kid’s Pizza Making Masterclass; Martine’s Restaurant Talk on Slow-Fermentation Bread for Coeliacs and Riedel Glass Comparative Wine Tasting; Aniar A Celebration of Easter Mutton; Black Gate Cultural Centre Saturday Afternoon Jazz and music from The Barnyard Trio; Woodberry’s Italian Indigenous Grapes and What You Should Be Drinking in 2017; The Kings Head Galway Hooker Beer Talk and Tasting; Pasta Factory, Restaurant Fresh Pasta World; The Front Door Pub Street BBQ; Biteclub Streetfood Discotheque Poitín Masterclass in Association with Micil Poitín; Coffeewerk + Press Coffee Cupping Session with Workshop Coffee Roasters; The Dáil Bar A Taste of Connemara with McGeough’s Butchers; Hazel Mountain Chocolate Blend Your Own Flours – Gluten Free Baking Talk and Tasting; Radisson Blu Hotel Sushi Masterclass; and The Twelve Pizza Dozzina Pizza Class.
On Sunday 16 April events will include: The Dáil Bar Kids Cupcake and Cookie Workshop; TGO Falafel Bar We Have to Stop Meating Like This; The House Hotel Kiddies Kitchen; Evan O’Ceallaigh at Temple Café; Mr Waffle Annual Easter Egg Hunt; Kappa-Ya Local Seafood and Sake Pairing; Biteclub Disco Brunch Garden Party; The Twelve Community Easter Egg Hunt; Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa Easter Sunday Kidisco; Coffeewerk + Press Home Brewing Workshop; The Twelve Mile Menu at The Twelve; The Skeff Late Bar and Kitchen All About Gin and World of Whiskey; Biteclub Streetfood Discotheque Poitín Masterclass in Association with Micil Poitín; and Easter Sunday at Glenlo Abbey Hotel.
The Festival will draw to a close on Monday 17 April and will feature a Community BBQ at Massimo; Cava Bodega Sangria Fiesta; Coffeewerk + Press Hewn Spoon Carving Talk and Demo; and The King’s Head Galway Food Festival Table Quiz.
In 2018, Galway plays host to the European Region of Gastronomy, which aims to contribute to a better quality of life in European regions, by highlighting distinctive food cultures. Galway Food Festival is a proud partner of this event and recognises the festival as an integral part of the European Region of Gastronomy award for the region of Galway.
To view full programme details visit www.galwayfoodfestival.com Visit Galway Food Festival Facebook or follow on Twitter @Galwayfood and #GFF2017.
