St Ives Food and Drink Festival is taking a temporary break in 2024, but will be returning with even more foodie fun in 2025. Watch this space for more details as we get them!
What happens when you combine delicious local food, live music, and unbeatable views? St Ives Food and Drink Festival! Proudly sponsoring this three-day event, it’s one of our absolute favourite Cornish food festivals and trust us, you won’t want to miss it either.
Taking place in May (dates TBC), this free-entry foodie extravaganza is located on the iconic Porthminster beach in St Ives, so you can feel the sand between your toes as you tuck into locally-caught seafood and other delights - an unbeatable combo! Locals and visitors alike have been enjoying the event for over a decade, and, as ever, 2025 promises to bring something new to the table. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s on offer this year.
Food
First and foremost, the star of any food festival: the cuisine. Showcasing esteemed local chefs and businesses, St Ives Food and Drink festival is a honeypot of some of the industry’s finest talent. Packed into an array of stalls and food demonstrations, the food alone will keep you busy for the entire weekend.
Work your way across the beach to sample fresh dishes from a long list of hot food traders, including smoky BBQ, fresh and fearless Greek cuisine, pizzas galore, and so much more. Note, a large appetite is recommended!
Once you’ve had your fill, stock up on treats and larder staples to enjoy later (perfect for taking back to your St Ives holiday cottage) from an assortment of artisan traders, such as The Cornish Larder Company, Flapjackery, Freda’s Peanut Butter, Muti Hot Sauce, Surf n Turf, and Truly Cornish.
You might need a bigger bag…
Food Demonstrations
2025 will see a large selection of celebrity and Cornish chefs take to the chef demo stage, with something to tickle all taste buds over the course of the weekend. The likes of Natasha Osborne, Stephane Delourme, Jude Kereama, Adam Banks, Jack Stein, and more, have shared their expertise on food in previous years, providing no end of cooking tips for the crowds to take away.
Many of the demonstrations take place over the Asado fire pit, which made its debut in 2019 and (understandably) proved to be a huge hit. Here, you’ll find chefs demonstrating different techniques for cooking food over fire; expect incredible sounds and smells across the site as seafood, meat, and vegetables sizzle to create a feast for the senses.
Back for 2025 with an absolute bang, the festivals masterclasses are ready to take you on a total journey, from wine, gin, and beer tastings to foraging walks, where you can learn about Cornwall’s natural larder that’s ripe for the picking.
After the success of last year’s St Ives Food Trail, the festival is back again with a foodie treasure hunt that will have you drooling in no time. Known far and wide for its epic eateries, this mouth-watering map will lead you round the many incredible cafés, restaurants, pubs, and food shops St Ives has to offer, giving you the ultimate opportunity to dine like a local.
Music and Entertainment
Grab a bite and drink, and head to The Lighthouse Stage for eclectic sounds throughout the weekend. Overlooking St Ives Bay and Godrevy Lighthouse, the stage with a view will host a mix of local jazz, folk, funk, and choirs providing the very best soundtrack to your day out in St Ives. Daytime performances are free, while tickets are required for the Evening Sessions taking place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from 6/6:30pm - 11pm.
The Area and Access
The best way to get around St Ives and access the Food and Drink festival is on foot, however, if visiting for the day, the town has a selection of car parks or you can park and ride by train from St Erth Station. Considering a large number of people head to the event every year, we recommend taking this 15-minute train along the scenic St Ives Bay line, which is an experience in itself!
Dogs are welcome at the festival on Friday and Saturday, but aren’t allowed on the beach on the Sunday due to the council’s seasonal restrictions. You can, however, take your dog to the putting green area close to the beach, local dog-friendly beaches, and to the many great dog-friendly eateries throughout St Ives.
Spending the weekend on Porthminster beach for this fantastic St Ives event will no doubt wet your whistle for more of what this picture-perfect coastal town has to offer. Enveloped by sandy stretches and glorious water, the boastful selection of beaches offers something for every type of beachgoer - sunbathing, adventuring, surfing, you name it! And at the end of a sun-soaked day on the coast, you can head to one of St Ives' pubs and bars for a sundowner or a restaurant with a sea view to continue lapping us the scenery.
And the town isn't just chock with beaches; venture along the cobbled streets to discover an abundance of unique shops and art galleries, each showcasing why St Ives has long been a mecca for artists and creatives. Afterwards, continue exploring St Ives and the South West Coast Path with a soul-quenching walk.
Does St Ives sound like the perfect recipe for your next trip? Browse our selection of holiday cottages in the area and experience the famous St Ives Food and Drink Festival for yourself.