Published December 12th, 2018
More than 50,000 food lovers and Christmas revellers from across the country braved wintery weather at the weekend to visit the annual Padstow Christmas Festival.
The popular four-day event, which ran from 6 to 9 December, has become one of the largest of its kind in the country. Padstow bustled with celebrity chefs and showcased more than 100 artisan food, drink, and craft producers from across the West Country.
Long-standing festival champions, Rick Stein, Paul Ainsworth, and Nathan Outlaw, were joined by a Who’s Who of culinary A-listers including Angela Hartnett, Nieves Barragán Mohacho, Brian Turner, Phil Vickery, Glynn Purnell, Atul Kochhar, and Mitch Tonks.
The two chef stages featured more than 60 cookery demonstrations, as well as lively debate at the popular festival forums.
The free-to-attend event also boasted a brand-new wine theatre, and played host to the first ever Big Cornish Breakfast. Other highlights included live music, a spectacular fireworks display, carol services, a Santa fun run and cycle, as well as Santa’s parade around the quay.
“We’ve enjoyed yet another fantastic festival, despite the challenges of the weather this year,” said Nathan Outlaw, owner of Restaurant Nathan Outlaw in Port Isaac.
“It was great to see both some familiar and new faces in the crowd this year, and to showcase Cornish food and drink. No doubt the 2019 festival will come around very soon – I can’t wait.
“Congratulations to the festival team for all its hard work. Now Christmas has begun!”
The festival was conceived more than ten years ago from a collective desire to make Padstow a year-round destination for visitors and give a much-needed out-of-season boost to its shops, restaurants and cafés.
“It’s been another great year for us, with a huge number of people visiting Padstow during the festival weekend,” said organiser, Tina Evans.
“A big thank you must go out to all of the chefs who took part in the cooking demonstrations, particularly Rick, Paul, and Nathan for their unstinting support, as well as all the volunteers and our sponsors, without whom the festival simply wouldn’t happen.
“It was also fantastic to be able to offer something extra to visitors this year, with the addition of a new wine theatre and charity chefs’ breakfast.
“There’s no rest for us now: we’ve already begun planning the 2019 festival!”
Next year’s Christmas festival will take place from 5 to 8 December 2019.
