Llangollen Food Festival again finds the recipe for success

 

                  * The Town Hall was packed with visitors from early on.

The 2026 Llangollen Food Festival has once again found the recipe for success.

With the first day crowd hitting what appears to have been record levels the town was centre was buzzing with delicious-looking displays of all things edible - and drinkable. 

In recent years the gala event has expanded to become a multi-venue affair and that was once again the case, with events taking place in Centenary Square, the Town Hall, Market Street and its car park, Gales Wine Bar, Blas Cookery and Wine School, the Silver Band Hut, Riverside Park and the Railway approach road and platform. 

But the whole experience was even better this year thanks with much better signage and visitor directions, including bar-coded leaflets available at multiple locations.

Today and tomorrow around 100 exhibitors are selling everything from mead to mugs to macarons filling Llangollen with the sights, sounds and smells of some of the finest food and drink North Wales and its surrounding area has to offer.

 

Crafts exhibitors are always an important part of the Food Festival and this year, for the first time, they have a dedicated craft area in the wine garden at Gales Wine Bar. 

Visitors will find handcrafted jewellery, handmade gifts, bespoke lampshades among many other craft makers. 

 

To overcome the town's notorious parking problems, for the first time there is a dedicated parking area just outside the town at Llandyn Caravan and Camping site, just off the A539. There is a small charge to park and a shuttle service is available to take people from the parking site into town.

 

Xplore, Wrexham’s science discovery centre, has been on hand to entertain children with all sorts of food-related experiments. 

 

A programme of free demonstrations are taking place at Blas Cookery and Wine school in Parade Street. First up this lunchtime was Dylan Owens, Executive Head Chef Director at Manchester City FC.

There has also been music galore in Riverside Park and Centenary Square with a fantastic line-up of local bands and solo singers across the weekend. 

“Live music has become an important part of the festival,” says Pip Gale, chairman of the Food Festival. “We have some great food concessions at Riverside Park and having brilliant music alongside just makes it a great day out for everyone.”

 

* Details of exhibitors, the line-up of entertainment and workshops can be found on the new Llangollen Food Festival website: https://llangollenfoodfestival.com/ and on the Food Festival’s Facebook page.

The Railway has its own programme events for the Food Festival, which continue tomorrow Sunday with:

All day | Food Festival at Llangollen Station

All day | Railway Café and Waiting Room Real Ale Bar

Quality produce from the Café, with Welsh ales and Blas Wines in the Waiting Room.

Food Festival trains from Llangollen:
10am Steam | 11.05am Diesel | 12.20pm Steam | 1.45pm Diesel | 3.15pm Steam

Food Festival trains from Corwen:
11.05am Steam | 12.20pm Diesel | 1.45pm Steam | 3.15pm Diesel | 4.20pm Steam

12.20pm | Afternoon Tea on the Dee
Take your reserved seat for Afternoon Tea and a journey through the Dee Valley.

12.20pm | The Glyndŵr Steam Roast
Alternatively, travel by steam to Corwen for a traditional Sunday roast at the community-run Owain Glyndŵr Hotel.

3.15pm | Afternoon Tea on the Dee
A second opportunity to enjoy Afternoon Tea aboard the Railway.

4.20pm | Glyndŵr Steam Roast return
Steam Roast passengers depart Corwen for Llangollen.

Around 5pm | Back in Llangollen

* Expert advice on seasonings from a Town Hall stallholder.

* Tasty-looking treats galore at the Town Hall.

* The wine garden at Gales attracted a throng of browsers.

* A colourful display of hand-crafted lampshades and other goods on show in the wine garden.

* A range of food stalls fill Centenary Square.

* Llangollen Food Share's strong presence in Market Street.

* Sweet treats in Market Street.

* Stalls take over the top section of Market Street car park.

* A wide range of filling fare available in the food court  at Riverside Park.

* Dylan Owens, Executive Head Chef Director at Manchester City FC, gives a demonstration of his culinary skills at Blas Cookery and Wine School.

* One of the band's that provided entertainment on the bandstand in the park.  

* Gourmet food on offer at one the stalls on the platform.

* The stall offering sausage on a stick at the station was doing a roaring trade.

* Centenary Square was even more packed with visitors during Saturday afternoon.

* A folk duo entertain the crowd on the square.