Gourmet music festivals

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Posted at 4:12PM, 12 May 2008 by Andrea McGinniss - Editor, bbcgoodfood.com

I'm just back from my first music festival of the summer, and have the familiar post-festival feeling as I sit slumped at my desk - bloated and a little blue. Blue because it was brilliant and it's over, and bloated because I kept energy levels steady with a three-day diet of beer and bacon butties, despite the fact it had self-catering facilities.

It's tradition to eat badly at a music festival, isn't it? Well maybe not for much longer, for alongside the burger vans and beer queues things are getting a lot more gourmet.

I rocked (and rolled out of) Connect Festival in Inverary last summer, which bills itself as a 'boutique' festival, catering for the more discerning festival-goer with better facilities and less muck. Less mucky it wasn't - the wellies got a real workout - but the food was amazing.

Oysters and pear cider might not be very rock and roll but I like them...

Organisers set up a mini farmers' market where local producers shucked endless oysters, barbecued prime venison burgers and doled out bowls of steaming sticky date pud. I spent more time in that tent than in front of any stage. Then there was the Scotch whisky tent and the pear cider - forget the warm flat beer in a plastic cup, this stuff was special, and all too easy to quaff!

My latest experience couldn't have been more different, but was no less enjoyable. All Tomorrow's Parties is held at Butlin's and Pontin's holiday camps, pure kitsch served with chips, but you get to sleep in chalets not tents (yay!) and cook your own food should you be bothered (we weren't).

Now smaller, boutique festivals seem to be popping up in every second field. I'm looking forward to checking out 'green' festival 2000 Trees which promises all kinds of good food as well as music, and Camp Bestival with its 'magic meadow' full of world food stalls. Oysters and pear cider might not be very rock and roll but I like them. As long as I can still get that bacon butty too.

What do you think of festival food? Do you fancy a burger after a hard day in the field or are you all for fine festival dining?

Comments

Holly

12 May 2008, 4:42PM
Holly

Happy memories of the egg and bacon baguette runs at Glastonbury spring to mind. One of us would risk the muddy walk down the hill and return to a circle of hungry campers desperate for salty, yolky goodness to set them on their way for another day. There was tofu, and houmous, and Iâ��m sure thereâ��s quiona salad, but for us, the bacon and egg baguettes were all we needed.

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tattookitten

13 May 2008, 10:21AM
tattookitten

I go to the Download festival every year and all I pack is some cereal bars and bananas for breakfast and the rest of the time we feast on the festival food! It's great because its not just burgers; you can get chinese, jacket potatoes, crepes, luxury hot chocolate, gorgeous milkshakes, smoothies, waffles, bacon butties and a whole range of other delicious things! Sometimes I wonder if I go more for the music or the food?!

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Elsbeth

13 May 2008, 9:06PM
Elsbeth

I go to Lowlands Festival in the Netherlands: a great music festival, with street theater, cabaret, special markets and... food! From all over the world: Indian, Indonesian, Mexican... Sandwiches, pancakes, pizza, ribs but also fruit salads, fresh juices. I believe that good food and good music make a great festival. What is better then eating a fresh falafel while listening to your favourite bands?

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Katherine

14 May 2008, 5:25PM
Katherine

Try the Big Chill in Ledbury for fantastic food. Last year i saw only on burger van there, and there were dozens of food stands, from all over the world. loads of choice and everything served on recyclable or biodegradable packaging. brilliant!

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Chris Brack

15 May 2008, 11:15AM
Chris Brack

Hi, there is a boutique festival in a small county in Ireland-Co. Laois-I happened to marry a lady from that same county, in September called Electric picnic which is really cool and they have a farmers market set up for the weekend with some amazing food and local produce-really good coffee too to help with the morning hangovers. Chris

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yummy things

17 May 2008, 4:40PM
yummy things

I was at the Connect Festival last year and will be going again this year. The food was fab and the champagne tent was quite the luxuary I am not used to at festivals!! Usually when I arrive home muddy after a weekend of camping all I want is a hot bath and a hot meal. My diet for the three days having been pot noodle and bacon rolls. I don't think I have eaten so many local delights in such nice surrounding ever before. I would recommend the spit roasted pork if you are there this year, if you are not into the music its worth going for the food and scenery!

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Andrea

17 May 2008, 5:52PM
Andrea

Hi Yummy things - yes how good was that pork! And the Champagne tent - forgot about that! See you by the Loch Fyne seafood stall this year... I'll be the one licking my lips (with pink carnation behind ear ;)

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