The countdown is on to the 13th annual Harvest Festival in Waterford City. The festival is kicking off on Friday, September 9th and it is going to be a delicious combination of events. It will be an explosion of colour, great food and drink, music, song, and dance, celebrating all that is tasty in Waterford. The festival will open on Friday at 2 pm with the Festival Market following which the Waterford Honey Show. It will be officially opened at 3 pm by Senator Grace O’Sullivan and the successful winners and presentation of the Waterford Honey Show prizes will take place at noon on Saturday at John Robert’s Square.
Sustainability
Sustainability is at the heart of the Waterford Harvest Festival this year. This is an opportunity for Waterford to showcase its rich food heritage and celebrate the City’s diverse restaurants, eateries, and producers. Supported by Waterford City and County Council and organized by GIY. The best of Waterford’s food and drink will be centre stage and there is a series of serious food talks for sides. There is something for everyone this harvest festival.
Keep an eye out on our Competitions page for a chance to win Harvest Festival tickets all next week.
What's On For The Environmentalists
Food Done Right Talks
GIY invites you to step inside their Food Done Right tent for plenty of growing inspiration and important conversations about sustainability, and eating and growing better food for the planet.
11 am Global Shocks/Local Impact
The climate crisis, conflict in Ukraine, and the Covid-19 pandemic are early warning signs of an unstable global food supply. What evidence of food shortages have we seen so far and how much worse is it likely to get? What can we do to build a more resilient and diverse local food system?
12.30pm Plan(e)t Based Diets
Climate scientists say that doubling the consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts, and a greater than 50% reduction in consumption of sugars and red meat by 2050 is necessary to feed a future population of 10 billion within planetary boundaries. Does this mean vegan meals and alternative meats are inevitable? Are farmers being unfairly blamed for the current situation we’re in? What are the implications for Irish food production and can we adapt?
2 pm Mass Movements versus Mass Extinctions
In recent years, there has been a wave of grassroots action to save the bees. Lawns and public spaces are increasingly turning into meadows to provide food and shelter for pollinators. Is this culture change enough to protect this critical species? What other species need the same level of attention and what else needs to change to combat the biodiversity crisis?
4 pm Q&A: Growing with kids
A practical panel conversation about how to start growing food from different perspectives. This session focuses on getting kids involved with food growing from a young age, covering topics such as:
What jobs can kids do in the garden to get interested?
How can food growing get kids more interested in eating fruit and veg?
What is needed to set up and sustain a school garden?
11 am Cost of Food, Cost of Living
In the past 20 years, field vegetable growers have reduced by 75% to now less than 100. Supermarkets are typically blamed, in particular, the 49c veg deals driving down prices for farmers. At the same time, Irish grocery prices are increasing at the fastest rate in decades, with 50% of Irish people unable to cope with any financial distress. Can farmers receive fair pay to create good food that consumers can afford? What can governments do to intervene?
12.30 pm Zero Waste Kitchens
A third of all the food produced in the world is wasted. If food waste was a country, it would be the third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, behind only America and China. The good news is that means addressing food waste is one of the top 3 solutions to climate change, according to researchers at Project Drawdown. How can chefs make zero-waste cooking the next big trend in food? And how can home cooks everywhere be part of the solution?
2 pm Resilient and regenerative food systems – a Waterford manifesto?
There are many inspiring people and projects across the Waterford region working to support our journeys towards a more sustainable, restorative, regenerative future. This event looks at how these often fragmented initiatives can be ‘woven’ together to make lasting positive and systemic change. As part of this we explore the value of having a common vision with agreed principles, and if a manifesto co-written by Waterford stakeholders and citizens is a way to achieve this.
If you would like to join the co-writing process please register for the morning workshop event.
4 pm Q&A: Unexpected GIYers
Harvest Plant Stand
GIY is taking guerrilla gardening to the extreme by transforming John Robert’s Square into an urban oasis. Thanks to its GIY makeover, the central fountain will be unrecognisable as it becomes The Plant Stand for the Harvest festival. Irish herbs and plants will be stacked hundreds high to create an unmissable living monument at the very heart of the weekend’s festivities.
Wasted Supper Club in GROW HQ
Guests are invited to GROW HQ for a unique dining experience including a welcome garden cocktail and a 3-course premium meal made entirely from food waste. This zero-waste dinner will be created by HQ Head Chef JB Dubois and his amazing team. You can book your tickets here.
GIY Community Masterclass: The Closed-Loop Garden
Gather with fellow community growers to explore this topic with GIY Head Grower Richard Mee and initiatives such as Top of the City Garden and Reimagining Enniscorthy.
We will be exploring how to make our gardens more resilient by closing the loop around physical inputs and local networks. “Closed-loop” means not relying on buying in items to maintain the garden.
By the end of the session, you should expect to have a deeper knowledge of sustainable planting plans, physical space design, and how to strengthen local networks.
The ticket price includes a discount at the Festival Food Truck and Tea, Coffee, and Scones on arrival.
Tickets are available to purchase here.
Foraging Walk with Denis Cullen
Foraged food is extremely healthy, nutritious, and sustainable, and the experience of foraging is wonderfully interactive and engaging. Our foraging walk will start with food tasting based on locally foraged plants, such as meadowsweet and mountain ash, at the car park near Dunhill Castle. The walk will continue towards Dunhill Castle and Anne Valley, where we will look at various edible plants available in the wild at this time of the year. It would be wonderful if you could join us! Click to Book Tickets: 10 EUR (can also be paid cash before the walk)
Co-Writing Waterford’s Manifesto for a Regenerative Bioregion
The output of this workshop will be the first pass at a co-created manifesto expressing the principles that the people of Waterford’s bioregion want to see being adhered to on all levels as we move towards a sustainable and regenerative future for generations to come. The event is open to everyone interested in contributing. BOOK HERE- free to attend
What's On For The Foodies
Waterford Honey Show
- Location: City Square Shopping Centre
- Day Saturday: 10th, Sunday 11th
- Time: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Honey has been an important food export from southeast Ireland since before the coming of Christ. The Romans and before them the Greeks wrote about the nectar produced from the ‘Sacred Trees’ of Ireland. Waterford, Tipperary, Kilkenny, and Wexford are Ireland’s most important areas for apiculture. Waterford Harvest Festival is delighted to collaborate with this year's Honey Show which will promote pure natural honey and celebrate over 1000 local beekeepers in the region.
Granary Bottomless Brunch
Expect a lavish & generous offering of all local foods from Flynn’s baked gammon of ham to Tom Cleary’s homegrown vegetables. We will have an artisan cheese section as well as The Granary Cafes’ selection of desserts. This year, for the first time we are offering a bottomless Prosecco drink accompaniment.
At only €45pp this is one not to be missed! Booking is direct with The Granary and places are limited to 60 people in total.
Harvest Supper with Legacy Craft Cider
Join us at GROW HQ for a truly unique dining experience where the humble Irish apple will take centre stage. This 3-course premium dining experience will be created by HQ Head Chef JB Dubois and his amazing team. On arrival, guests can sip an apple cocktail on the GROW HQ terrace before enjoying an apple-inspired menu that sees each course paired with an apple cocktail or Legacy Craft cider. It truly is a celebration of one of the oldest fruits in Ireland.
From Mountains to the Sea – A Lunch with Waterford at its Centre
Everett’s will host a three-course lunch encapsulating the southeast’s best produce with specially selected wine pairings.
For only €65pp, you do not want to miss this amazing lunch! Bookings are taken by phone on 051 325174 or by email at [email protected]
Taste Waterford Kitchen
The Taste Waterford Kitchen Stage will have a range of cooking demos showcasing and celebrating Waterford chefs, restaurants, and produce. Who needs celebrity chefs when we have amazing talent on our doorstep?
Saturday 10th
12pm: Momo with Michael Buchta & Kamila Bystrzonowska
3 pm: Faithlegg with Jenny Flynn
Sunday 11th
Noon: IASC seafood bar with Caitlín Uí Aodha
1.15 pm: Mezze with Nicola Crowley & Dvir Nursery
4 pm: GROW HQ with JB Dubois & Legacy Cider
Bodega! & Blackwater Distillery Collide!
Experience a four-course, small plate meal which has been paired by Blackwater Distillery Mixologist, John Coleman, with the best-matched Blackwater distillery-based cocktails. John Coleman & Dan Grummell of Blackwater Distillery will be with us on the day to informally chat at the tateach table. €60pp
To book please call the restaurant on 051-844177 or use the link here. (please indicate it’s for Blackwater Event.)
What's On For Kids
Junior GIYers: live show with Muireann Ni Chiobhain
Join Muireann Ní Chíobháin (Children’s Author and TV Performer) for a live show celebrating GIY’s very own book the Know-it-ALLmanac.
This family event will be jam-packed with astounding food facts, growing tips and even some whacky poetry for all ages. Be ready to move, groove, rap like a carrot, do the ‘Brussel’, or even catch a sprout as it hurls through the air!
Junior GIYers: Seed Sowing
At GIY we know that even a small food growing experience can have a big impact. Come along to GIY’s seed sowing station to discover just how easy it is to start growing some of your food. Children can play, learn and grow with GIYs’ best growers, who will be on hand to share their growing knowledge and prove there is no better feeling than putting some of your own food on the table.
Junior GIYers: Making Bug Hotels
Leaving grass unmown or leaving “weeds” to grow can help provide places for insects and pollinators to live, but why not go one step further for our mini beasts and open a bug hotel? Come along to the Harvest Junior area to make your very own bug B&B to take back your garden’s creepy crawlies. GIY will be on hand to help you sort your pine cone palaces from your straw saloons and to share their tips and tricks to ensure your bug hotel gets five stars.
Junior GIYers: Mini Farm
Nore Valley Park is coming to Harvest with their Mobile Pet Farm. They allow the children to play with the animals in an interactive and relaxing setting. Bottle-feed lambs or goats and cuddle chicks and baby rabbits, while learning about the Irish heritage of farming.
What's On For The Culture Vultures
Live music on Friday
1:00 PM The Knotted Chords
2:00pm No Roots
3:00 PM Liam Merriman
4:00PM Calypso Trio
17:30PM The Moonshine Boys
A Slice Of Culture
A Slice of Culture is a new and exciting initiative aiming to connect and integrate other cultures into the local community.
We are super excited to bring you this year’s festival in collaboration with Waterford Migrant Forum. We promise you a multicultural experience full of dance, songs and tasty dishes that celebrate Waterford’s ever-diversifying community. For more information visit our Facebook page by clicking here.
Live music on Saturday
Noon Damn Dirty Apes
1:30PM David O’Sullivan Band
2:45PM Soul Reason
4:00PM Lower East Side Sextet
5:30PM Bana Rua
Dylan & Amanda Bible
Playing a mix of styles with a jazz/bosa nova twist. Expect beautiful harmonies and improvised jazz-like passages.
Backroad Smokers Club
Waterford ensemble Backroad Smokers Club blend funky beats, jazzy chords and psychedelic rock..... The band who regularly play Electric Picnic and Altogether Now, will be playing a special outdoor gig to headline the Harvest Festival this September in the medieval surrounds of Bayleys New Street courtyard.
Live music on Sunday
Noon The Cotton Pluckers
1:30PM Conor Clancy Band
2:45PM Amber & The Bear
4:00PM Deise Brass
5:30PM The Dearg Dooms
See a full list of Harvest Festival events here
