Getting ready for Tideswell’s annual Food Festival

The new look Tideswell Festival is nearly here! Save the date – Saturday, May 3rd 2025. We will focus on food (of course!) as well as craft sellers in the church and local charities and businesses wanting to showcase their activities. There will be pop-up music to entertain.

The Tideswell Food Festival has been an amazingly successful event since it started in 2011. Last year more than 50 stall holders graced the village streets and St John’s Church hosted over 20 artisans at its popular Makers Market.

Preparing for the festival throughout the year and ensuring that it runs smoothly on the day takes a lot of planning. Everything is done by volunteers. Our effort is, though, very much worth it. The festival helps put Tideswell on the visitors’ map and it has become a fixture in the local calendar of events.

We also contribute substantial funds for the benefit of the locality as we donate our surplus funds to the Community Association for grant giving. St John’s raises money from the Makers Market which helps support the upkeep of the church. The Scouts run the car park brilliantly and rattle their donation buckets making it their main annual fundraiser. The organising team estimates that the event has raised more than £20,000 over the years for community projects, such as renovating the Tideswell war memorial and supporting the volunteer-run library, as well as projects in surrounding villages.

As always we need lots of help to put this event on. Our marshals have built up a reputation for being friendly and welcoming, on hand to help traders and visitors alike. If you can give an hour or more this year, please let us know via volunteers.tideswellfood@gmail.com If you’d like to be involved in the planning and organising, please get in touch. Maybe these endorsements will convince you: Team members say; “It’s a privilege to be involved in promoting Tideswell and it’s brilliant community”, Jules Fell: Nick Farmilo adds that ”…it’s great to work with a friendly and welcoming group of people. All in a good cause too!” Our meetings usually involve cake…

We are always grateful for the support of residents, especially with moving their cars on the main Food Festival routes for the day. This year you won’t be woken at 6am with the Council putting up stalls, traders will bring their own.

Share the message with your favourite food traders you’d like to see here; they can apply via bookings.tideswellfoodfestival@gmail.com.

For more information see https://www.facebook.com/TideswellFoodFestival/