Kildare is holding it’s first ever county food festival – Taste of Kildare.
The event is set for the K Club at Straffan, Kildare on Sunday 19 August and is promising to be one of the highlights on Ireland’s food tourism calendar
The activities around the festival are split between the famed Walled Garden at the K Club, and the Legacy Suite, the latter hosting a gala lunch for 300 diners catered for by local restaurants and suppliers.
One of Ireland’s best regarded seafood chefs, Martin Shanahan will play a hosting role at the inaugural Taste of Kildare.
Shanahan will be joined by other leading Irish chefs, including Thomas Haughton (Galmere) and Ross Lewis (Chapter One), in a series of cookery demonstrations celebrating the best that the county’s great restaurants and food producers and suppliers have to offer.
Food vital to Kildare tourism
The festival is being organised by County Kildare Tourism and will see local businesses come together to promote Kildare’s food offering to a national and international audience. There’s also craft beer and wine tastings on the menu, with music on the day from Paddy Casey, a jazz band and DJ.
“Food is at the heart of Kildare’s tourist offering, accounting for €2 out of every €5 spent by visitors,” says Áine Mangan, County Kildare Tourism Development Manager.
“Taste of Kildare will bring our amazing restaurants and wonderful artisan food producers and suppliers together in one space, creating an annual experience that will serve as a calling card for the county.”
“It will feature a number of different experiences from a sit-down marquee buffet with a choice of food from our restaurants to a festival farmers’ market in the walled garden to cater for everyone.”
It’s not just a day
Taste of Kildare, overall, will run as a week, with the main ‘Taste of Kildare’ festival event taking place on the Sunday. Activities countywide including tastings and free demos kick off from the Monday, coinciding with the visit of the 65 Rose of Tralee finalists for 2018.
Taste of Kildare Tickets
Tickets for this year’s festival event are available now from Into Kildare, priced €10 plus booking fee. The Gala Lunch at the K Club’s Legacy Suite is limited to 300 people and priced €75.
Learn about the festival at tasteofkildare.ie.
