We visited this year’s Newtown Food Festival and it was a treat for the senses.
This year was the 10th anniversary for the festival which took place in the town hall grounds in Newtown today (September 7) and was an event which was a treat for all the senses despite the gloomy weather.
The show was a showcase for some of the best food producers in Mid Wales and offered something for everyone. It was a treat for the eyes with a veritable rainbow of tempting desserts, including some spectacular “cookie pies” made by Pembokeshire's Ember desserts.
There were all sorts of tempting smells including the smell of wood fire pizza that wafted across the grounds as soon as there was a breeze.
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Most of all though it was a joy for your taste buds, with dozens of stalls this year offering a truly global selection of cuisines along paired with some of the finest local produce.
We spoke to some of the stallholders at this year’s event and heard how they enjoyed this year’s festival.
The multi award-winning Kerry Vale Wine again had a presence at this year’s festival which they say is always a highlight of the year.
Kerry Vale’s Nadine Roach said: “We have always done the Newtown food festival. We come back every year.
“We love it, it probably is our most local show. It is lovely to be able to talk to local people who come to the café at the vineyard so it is a really great show for us.”
Fellow local producer Lesley Dunning from Joles Gourmet, which she runs with her son Josh, create a wide variety of baked good was also full of praise for the festival which she has been attending for years.
“I’ve been going nearly 10 years, I am based in Kerry,” said Leslie. “We make everything ourselves, we make gourmet sausage rolls and vegetarian pasties using local products we try and keep everything fresh – we are just really passionate about food.
“It’s our third year at the festival it is so busy, it’s so nice to be local and get that support, it means a lot.”
Pueblo from Montgomery, on the other hand, were enjoying their first time at the festival.
Owner Franco Turchetti said: “We started three years ago, it is a mix of south American food.
“The idea was to bring the flavours of Argentina and South America to this part of Britain which is something different.
“We respect the traditions of that region and mixing that with different products that are locally produced.
“It’s been amazing – it has been a pleasant surprise.”
Borderlands Cider were showing off four different varieties of cider as well as apple juice at this year’s festival.
Owner Kevin Morris said: “All the apples are donated from residents gardens and the orchards of Newtown – all in a five mile radius.
“That is how I started, there was press that I built 12 years ago and someone said ‘come and get these apples Kevin because I don’t want them’ and I turned it into apple juice and then I turned it into cider.
“We’ve done the festival eight times, besides a beak for Covid I haven’t missed it since 2014.I enjoy it because I get to see the people who donate their apples see what I turn it into.”
Lalita Sharma was full of praise in how the festival has helped grow her business Lalita's Indian Street Food.
She said: “I have been running for about eight years and the Newtown food festival has been amazing for me every single year. I specialise in vegetarian, vegan and other dietary needs.
“I get really good feedback and enjoy the environment and the vibe.
“The business started as a hobby but with my daughter it turned into business although I do still work for the NHS as well. I just like experimenting and going on a new adventure with new products.”
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