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Fork to Fork a Celebration of Local Food and Drink

Goodnestone Park are putting on their first Food & Drink Festival with a twist! To be staged on Sunday, 28th August and held within the famous gardens, visitors will be able to enjoy delicious local food and drink looking out over the parkland, with live music in the evening. Visitors will be able to attend fun and interactive workshops in the beautiful walled garden. We will also be hosting our first ever Chilli Eating Competition, with chilies grown by our Head Gardener

Fork to Fork is the title of Monty Don’s book which highlights the growing disconnection between the food and drink we consume and how it is produced. Fork to Fork brings together a range of local producers, artisans, and craftspeople to involve attendees in the whole lifecycle of food and drink production. Food and drink stalls will be located next to the mansion and include Kentish Pip, Time and Tide Brewery, Chartham Vineyard, That’s Amore Pizzas, Haji Baji Indian Street Food, Simply Ice Cream and the Old Dairy will also host a BBQ in the courtyard.

Our warm-up act (excuse the pun) for the evening’s live music is our first ever Goodnestone Chilli Eating Competition with chilies grown in the garden by our Head Gardener. Live music will be from 6pm starting with George Pelham, known for his distinctively emotive and soulful voice. The final act of the night will be a set from Papa and the Jim Jams. Papa is a British-Kenyan singer-songwriter whose music beams with afro-inspired gospel, latino rhythms alongside that Europa spiritus animus. Choir in the Church; Flamenco in Andalusia; Blues, Funk, and Jazz busking; or performing with his improv band all add up to a sound buzzing with genres from far and wide. Wistful, hopeful, motherland optimism personified.

The Walled Garden is considered by many to be the highlight of a visit to Goodnestone Park and will be the educative hub of Fork to Fork with a range of workshops, talks, and demonstrations taking place. This will include workshops and tours with our Head Gardener Paul Bagshaw, Flower Crown Making with Annas Country Flowers, Bee Keeping and Honey making with Julian Audseley, Apple Pressing demonstrations with Preston Forstal Marsh, and Basket Weaving with Pat McFarlane. Nonington Farms Ltd who farm most of the land on the Estate will also be in attendance to promote sustainable farming practices as well as showpiece their home produced flour.

If you are still wanting more, then make sure you drop into Goodnestone Creative Space which is located within the stable buildings next to the Old Dairy Cafe. Goodnestone Park and the esteemed Linden Hall Studios have teamed up for a group exhibition. The exhibition will be running from 6th August – 24th September and will be a mix of painting, print and sculpture.

ENDS