Top five food festivals

Spring has finally arrived and temperatures are slowly but surely going up. This can only mean one thing, it’s festival time! We have handpicked a top five of Britain’s best food festivals. Enjoy.

1. The Crab and Lobster Festival – From 16 May to 18 May 2014
The Crab and Lobster Festival is a weekend full of fun, art, music and of course FOOD! The two coastal towns Sheringham and Cromer, historically great rivals, join forces for this lovely festival. It’s not only about fun and food; they also raise money for charities and attract more visitors to the towns, which is beneficial for the local economy. This year will be the 5th edition and the festival gets bigger every year!

The grand opening variety concert will be held on Friday 16th May at the Pier Pavillion Theatre. On Saturday 17th, the event will be held at Cromer and on Sunday 18th, at Sheringham.

Why not stay in one of our beautiful hotels, while spending the weekend in Norfolk? Our three hotels are only an hour drive to the fantastic festival. Choose from the following best loved hotels; Congham Hall in Kings Lynn, a fantastic Norfolk country house hotel with a fabulous spa, the Imperial Hotel Great Yarmouth in Great Yarmouth, four-star luxury and a dollop of seaside nostalgia on the Norfolk Coast, or the Legacy Duke’s Head Hotel in King’s Lynn, traditional charm and contemporary chic close to Sandringham and the Norfolk Coast. For more information and to book, go to: Norfolk Hotels

2. Taste of London – From 18 June to 22 June 2014
Taste of London is all about eating, drinking and entertainment! During your four hour session (your tickets lasts four hours), you can enjoy tapas size dishes from 40 London restaurants; and not just any London restaurants, but the hottest London restaurants! You can also experience top chefs live in action, sushi making classes, Korean masterclasses and champagne and beer tastings. The event takes place in beautiful Regent’s Park. A true event for foodies! For more information and to book tickets, go to: london.tastefestivals.com/

Why not make the most of your weekend in London, by staying at one of our London hotels? Stay at our Milestone Hotel, a milestone in elegance and luxury overlooking Kensington Garden, or at our Presidential Serviced Apartments, a great value home away from home in Central London. For more information and to book, go to: London Hotels

3. Pembrokeshire Fish Week Festival – From 28 June to 6 July 2014
The Pembrokeshire Fish Week Festival is held in Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire, a county in the south west of Wales. Next to the beautiful scenery of Milford Haven, the event also includes first class fish and seafood! Enjoy a great day out with your family and get to eat and cook fresh fish and shellfish from local producers. Not much of a fish lover? Don’t worry! There is plenty for you to do as well! You and your kids can explore crystal clear rock pools and find out what lives on the beaches during a seashore safari! Not only that, but you could try your hand at surfing, fishing, seaside sports and crafting during this festival! This event is named as number one in the top ten best food festivals by The Independent in 2013 and is listed in the top ten food festivals in the UK by Visit Britain. The festival has also won many awards. For more information about the award winning festival, go to: www.pembrokeshirefishweek.co.uk

Explore the beautiful county Pembrokeshore and stay in one of our best loved hotels to make the most out of your stay! Our Elm Grove Country House in Tenby is only a half an hour drive from Milford Haven or stay at St Brides Spa Hotel, in Saundersfoot, which is also a half an hour drive. This hotel has beautiful Pembrokeshire sea views and a highly acclaimed spa! Or you can stay at the Warpool Court Hotel, in St. Davids, a 45 minute drive to the festival, where you will find some of the most spectacular sea views. For more information and to book one of these fantastic hotels, go to: Pembrokeshire Hotels

4. Dorset Seafood Festival – From 12 July to 13 July 2014
The Dorset Seafood Festival takes place along the Waterfront Weymouth. This event was placed fourth in the UK’s top ten food festivals by the Independent 2013! Enjoy many activities like filleting demonstrations, champagne pouring demonstrations and fresh fish auctions! There will be more than 80 stalls selling seafood and associated goods. For more information, go to: www.dorsetseafood.co.uk

Why don’t you stay in one of our amazing hotels in the Dorset area? There is so much to export in this beautiful area. Pick from the following best loved hotels; Stay in the fairy-tale capital of the ancient Isle of Purbeck, our Mortons House Hotel in Corfe Castle is only a 40 minute drive to the festival! Or you could stay at BridgeHouse, in Beaminster, which is a 45 minute drive to the shore, enjoying cosy country comforts and luxury chic by Dorset’s stunning Jurassic Coast. A little bit further away, in Lyme Regis, lays our beautiful hotel Alexandra Hotel & Restaurant, an English classic on the Jurassic Coast, only a 50 minute drive away from the Dorset Seafood Festival. For more information and to book one of these stunning hotels, go to: Dorste Hotels

5. Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival – From 25 September to 28 September 2014
The Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival is an annual event held in Galway, Ireland. It is an international festival and the world’s longest running Oyster fest. Not only that, but it Is the second biggest Irish event after St. Patrick’s Day! The festival will showcase all kinds of delicious Irish food and it includes lots of fun events, including; the Oyster Olympics, food talks and tastings, live music, cooking demonstrations and more! The first Oyster festival was held in 1954 and the event welcomed over a half million visitors and more than three million oysters have been consumed since its beginnings. A must for every seafood lover! Please note that tickets are not yet on sale, but you can be put on a waiting list by emailing the organisation via info@galwayoysterfest.com. For more information, go to: galwayoysterfest.com

Stay at our best loved hotel in the area of Galway to enjoy your weekend at its fullest! Our Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel in Connemara, Co Galway, is a beautiful place for hill-walking, sporting pursuits and seeing Connemara as well! The hotel is only a one hour drive to Galway. For more information and to book this lovely hotel, go to: Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel

Best loved hotels: unique hotel experiences in the UK and Ireland: www.bestloved.com

Image by Masahiro Ihara