Wealden Food And Wine Festival

Bentley Wildfowl And Motor Museum, Halland, Saturday, August 22, and Sunday, August 23

FOLLOWING its inaugural event at Pevensey Castle last year, Wealden District Council’s free celebration of Sussex produce is setting up in a new home for 2015.

Bentley Wildfowl And Motor Museum will host more than 50 stalls and a giant marquee for the weekend hosting a wide range of live music, children’s entertainment and cooking demonstrations.

Despite only being in its second incarnation Wealden Council’s tourism officer Jane Kilby says the event has grown from 2014.

“Last year we had 32 stalls in total,” she says. “At the moment we have 50, and we could go over that. Last year’s event had more than 6,000 visitors.

“Our aim is to include a radius of producers within 20 miles from our border, so we have pulled in stalls from East Grinstead, Tenterden, Rye, Brighton and Lewes.”

Among the exhibitors taking part for 2015 are Downsview Farmhouse, High Weald Dairy, Greenaways, Chapter 12, Brambletigh Produce, Veasey And Sons Fishmongers, Carr Taylor Vineyard, Biddenden Vineyard, Harbourne Vineyard, O’er The Moon Confectionary, The Sussex Sausage Company, Simply Sussex Produce and the Twisted Chip Company.

Through the weekend there will be demonstrations by Plumpton Wine School, the Bluebell Vineyard and 2006 Masterchef winner Peter Bayless.

Visitors to the festival will also get into Bentley Wildfowl And Motor Museum for free over the weekend.

“Normally they would charge £8 for an adult but it is all free this weekend,” says Kilby.

“It’s a double reason to go down. As well as the motor museum, the wildfowl and the woodland walks there is a volunteer-run miniature railway which goes around the whole estate, and Branching Out which is a mini Go Ape-style treetop adventure.”

The only event that has to be paid for over the weekend is Sunday morning’s jazz and funk breakfast from 10am. Fizz, Fry Up And Fusion features music from former Arrival and 10cc keyboard player Tony O’Malley, as well as a glass of Bluebell Vineyard sparkling wine, and a choice of a bacon, sausage, egg or vegetarian roll with a coffee, tea or orange juice.

Throughout the rest of the festival Sussex brewers Hepworth And Co are sponsoring the entertainment tent. Across both days the music programme will expand from acoustic duos and singer-songwriters to headline sets by 14-piece jazz band Swing Street tomorrow from 6pm, and The Blues Bro Show on Sunday from 5.30pm.

Also on the music bill are Zachary Dogwood, Pocket Size, The Lost Weekend, The Laura Holland Band, The Kytes, Chantelle Duncan, and the Red Butler Band.

Children are catered for too, with writer and actor Geoff Hutchinson retelling Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories, and Hastings-based creative centre Radiator Arts leading craft workshops to make wildfowl hats and healthy eating flags.

Embers Camping is also providing a glamping site, situated in Bentley’s grounds, giving visitors and exhibitors the chance to stay on site.

The annual festival is set to continue in 2016, with plans already afoot to move it back to Pevensey Castle to mark the 950th anniversary of the Battle Of Hastings.

* Tickets for Fizz, Fry Up And Fusion, on Sunday, August 23, from 10am, cost £15. For more information call 01323 415415 or 01424 451111.

Starts 11am to 7.30pm, free. Visit wealdenfestivals.co.uk