Great British Food Festival 2025 – Good Food, Beautiful Places, and a Day You’ll Want to Repeat
Published
Categorized as Trending
If you’ve ever been to a food festival and thought, “This is fun, but something’s missing,” then you probably haven’t been to the Great British Food Festival. In 2025, it celebrates its 15th year, and to be honest, it feels more like a big family picnic than a polished food expo.
It’s not stiff or formal. You won’t need to know the difference between aioli and mayonnaise. And you definitely won’t be judged for eating a second brownie.
You just show up hungry and curious. The rest takes care of itself.
Table of Contents
One of the first things that sets this festival apart is where it’s held. It’s not in random fields or parking lots. Each stop is handpicked and honestly quite lovely.
Think old estates with rolling lawns, lakes in the distance, and sheep somewhere nearby just doing their thing.
At Weston Park, there’s space to lie in the sun while your kids run wild. Wimbledon Park gives you the festival vibe without needing to leave the city. And Margam Park? Well, the trees there are older than some countries. You’ll know what I mean when you see them.
Let’s get to the good stuff. The food stalls. They’re everywhere. And I’m not just talking burgers and chips, although yes, you’ll find some top-notch ones.
You’ll spot fresh sourdough pizzas being pulled from stone ovens. Skewers sizzling on charcoal grills. Korean fried chicken with just the right crunch. Moroccan wraps, jerk chicken, creamy mac and cheese, and sweet potatoes loaded with feta. It’s a mix of comfort food and global flavours. You might try something you’ve never had before and wonder where it’s been all your life.
If you’re a sweet tooth, brace yourself. From triple chocolate brownies to churros rolled in cinnamon sugar, it’s all there. You’ll find cookies the size of your face, handmade fudge in every flavour, and ice cream that actually tastes like the thing it says on the label (that pistachio isn’t just green for fun).
Prices change depending on the venue, but here’s what we know so far for 2025:
Some locations may offer free entry for young kids, and family bundles are usually up for grabs if you book early. Buying online ahead of time saves you a few pounds. Not a bad deal if you ask me.
There’s stuff happening all the time. If you’re into baking, the demo stage is worth a stop. You might catch a former Bake Off contestant talking through a sponge cake recipe or laughing about how they ruined biscuit week. They’re fun to listen to and usually down-to-earth.
There are also cookery challenges where you can join in. Bring your best Victoria sponge or gooey brownies, and judges will taste and score them on the spot. And yes, sometimes they let the crowd taste too, so standing nearby isn’t a bad plan.
You’ll hear the crowd before you see them. That’s the eating challenge area. It could be a hot wing race, a giant burrito battle, or the great doughnut stack challenge.
Some people enter for fun. Others come prepared, like they’ve trained for it. There was a guy last year who wore gloves just for the chilli round. No one knew if it was genius or madness, but he won. And couldn’t taste food for three days after.
You don’t need to join, but it’s one of those things you’ll tell your friends about later.
Don’t worry about bringing the kids. There’s loads for them to do. Some locations have craft corners. Others run cookery classes where little ones can decorate cupcakes or help make simple dishes. Many venues have open green areas where children can run around freely. There’s often a treasure hunt going on or someone dressed as a giant carrot handing out stickers. It keeps them busy while you sneak off to get your second helping of pulled pork.
There’s usually a little shopping lane at the festival. Not big-brand stuff. Think homemade jams, handmade candles, wood-carved kitchen boards, and infused oils. I once bought a chilli jam that claimed to “ruin your mouth in a good way.” It did. And I still went back the next year for more.
There’s also coffee, gin tasting, fresh lemonade, and the occasional person handing out free samples of cheese. Go ahead. Accept them all. It’s part of the fun.
Throughout the day, there’s live music. You’ll hear cover bands, solo guitarists, maybe even a jazz trio. It’s never over-the-top or too loud. More like the kind of background you want when you’re munching on food and chatting with your mates.
Lots of people bring fold-out chairs or picnic blankets. You’ll see groups just lying back, sunglasses on, tapping their feet to a Fleetwood Mac cover while the kids nap beside them. It’s peaceful in a very real and normal way.
The Great British Food Festival 2025 isn’t about fancy plates or Michelin stars. It’s about the smell of good cooking in the air, hearing kids laugh while your mate tells a joke with ketchup on their chin, and trying that random sauce someone made in their garden shed.
You won’t need a guidebook. You won’t need to “know food”. You’ll just need to turn up hungry and ready to relax.
Book your tickets early, pick a location that suits you, and go. That’s it. No overthinking. Just you, the sunshine, and more food than you probably need.
Bring your appetite. You’ll need it.
Sign up to receive our email, delivering the latest stories straight to your inbox.
