Everything You Need to Know About The Biggest Riverside Food and Drink Festival Yet

The massive Riverside Food and Drink Festival near Leeds unveils the key details for its eccentric Summer celebration on The Wetherby Ings.

What Is The Riverside Food & Drink Festival?

The Riverside Food and Drink Festival is an annual celebration of international influence and local talent, expressed through global foods, independent drink, live music, and arts.

Located on the beautiful Wetherby Ings, the festival promises an immersive experience packed with gripping entertainment options, interactive culinary activities, and emphatic production amidst a picturesque riverside backdrop.

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Brand-new and Vast Entertainment Options at Riverside Food & Drink Festival

There are plenty of attractions hosting a diverse array of esteemed artists, cookery experts, and original performers at this year’s Riverside Food Festival.

Live Music Stage: Headlining Saturday, July 27th, are the electrifying Planet ABBA with their tribute to one of the most iconic pop groups in history. Sunday, July 28th, spotlights Liam Gray as Robbie Williams, an enigmatic performer dedicated to capturing the essence of the chart-topping star.

Throughout both afternoons, talented soloists, duos, bands, and choirs are set to create an unmissable atmosphere soundtracked to original songs and creative covers.

Live Cookery Theatre with Yorkshire Food Guide: This unique attraction features a stellar lineup of culinary experts through eight live demonstrations over the weekend at the Riverside Food Festival.

This year’s lineup spotlights MasterChef UK and The Great British Menu contestants, chefs with MICHELIN-starred experience, innovative Head Chefs, and award-winning culinary experts through detailed and immersive live demonstrations.

Highlights include Bobby Geetha (Fleur & MasterChef UK), Samira Effra (EightyEight at Grantley Hall and The Great British Menu), and Kurtus Auty (Yorkshire’s Best Young Chef Honouree & MasterChef UK).

Kids Cooking Classes, On-Site Food Tours, and A Comedy Improv Show: Joining the lineup are Kids Cooking Classes with Kiddycook, where families can bring their children along to enjoy cooking tutorials for both sweet and savoury treats.

Alternatively, attendees can sign themselves up for On-site food Tours with Leeds Food Tours, experiencing exclusive tastings, artisan insights, and expert guidance through global foods and delicious beverages.

Also new this year to Riverside Food Festival is ‘The Discount Comedy Checkout: Improvised Family Show’, an interactive and improvised comedy show packed with unmissable laughs and audience participation.

Live Entertainers Stage: Families are invited to enjoy the Live Entertainers Stage featuring six daily Performing Arts & Magic Shows, including Kids Magic Shows by The Magic Matt Show, Comedy Magic & Variety Shows by Joel Dickinson, and Family Magic & Circus Shows by Matthew J Magic.

Further Options: Riverside Festival has an abundance of captivating entertainment options suited to friends and family of all ages and cultures: Wacky Roaming Comedy such as Chefs on Stilts; Circus Skills Workshops; Axes to Ashes Axe Throwing; Crazy Climbz Climbing Wall; a Traditional Fun Fair and Inflatable Land; Ian’s Mobile Petting Farm; Softpots (Environmentally Friendly Soft Plant Plot Tutorials); Lizzieland Face painting and Festival Hair Facepainting, and Nysh Henna Designs Henna.

Artisan Marketplaces, Street Food, and Independent Bars

The beloved classics return to Riverside Festival, starting with the event’s Street Food Arena, home to a variety of global foods and cultural specialities. Whether it be authentic Indian cuisine, delicious Asian delicacies, or a classic Yorkshire favourite, there’s something for everyone.

Complementing the Street Food Arena are the event’s Artisan Markets, host to over 65 different independent traders and small businesses offering a range of local produce, fresh baked goods, hand-made crafts, and art.

Finally, festival-goers can enjoy the range of independent bars featuring a varied selection of cider, rum, gin, wine, and speciality cocktails. Those searching for further refreshment can indulge in the event’s full ale-house, in proud partnership with North, featuring craft ales, IPAs, and cask favourites on draught.

Further Festivities

Riverside Food and Drink Festival strives to accommodate various entertainment preferences, providing a day of amusement tailored to everyone’s idea of leisure. Attendees receive complimentary festival programs to help ensure each guest can fully enjoy the event’s offerings.

Whether you prefer lounging on the comfy furniture scattered around the venue or diving into the thrilling live performances, the event guarantees an engaging and lively way to spend the afternoon.

Continuing their devotion to supporting the local community, the festival will partner with Leeds Mind, a charity whole-heartedly committed to supporting mental health initiatives across the North. Through activities across the event and optional donations on ticket sales, the festival hopes to add to the over £100,000 already raised.

With the event just around the corner, organisers expect thousands to join the celebration on The Wetherby Ings for the biggest Riverside Food and Drink Festival to date, July 27th-28th.

Riverside Food Festival Event Location, Times & Tickets

27th – 29th July 2024 (The Ings, Wetherby), 10 am – 7 pm

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