Food festival fills up thousands

Organisers of the Llangollen Food Festival say they were thrilled with the turnout over two days at the International Pavilion event.

The festival teamed up with Menter Iaith Sir Ddinbych, one of a network of organisations established across Wales to promote the language, and pupils from the nearby high school, Ysgol Dinas Bran and Ysgol Brynhyfryd.

Menter Iaith chief officer Ruth Williams said: “Llangollen Food Festival is a brilliant event, attracting thousands of people yearly and a perfect chance to get more people who don’t normally converse in Welsh to try basic sentences.

“Welsh-language speaking exhibitors agreed to wear lanyards signifying they are bilingual.

“It meant fluent Welsh-language speakers could talk to them in their native language, but learners and complete beginners also knew immediately that they could have a go at conversing with the stall holder in Welsh.

“We had leaflets produced to distribute among festival-goers providing basic translations of words which might be useful in a culinary environment. They include Blasus (tasty), Cacen (cake), Siocled (chocolate) and bread (bara).”

Oswestry business Su Casa took its paella food products to Llangollen, popular with the visitors, as was the food offered by the Chirk Smokery.

Neil Moffat and wife, Claire Hemingway-Moffat, who launched Hemingway’s pesto in Churton, near Farndon, cooking up their special recipe in their home kitchen, said their homemade sauce was so loved by their children’s student friends at university they decided to market it and it had become a mini business.

The festival has been named one of the top 10 food festivals in the UK by the

Independent and Daily Telegraph newspapers.

Organiser Phil Davies said: “We’re absolutely delighted. It went very, very well. Our exhibition stands were full and included some newcomers to the festival which is always nice to see, and everyone had positive feedback on both the trade stands and the interactive workshops and demonstrations.”