Lichfield News
Food Festival and Bike Ride
Lichfield Food Festival Market and Pop Up Cookery Demos
Festival goers will be spoilt for choice with the wide range of food and drink stalls and pop up cookery demonstrations at Lichfield Food Festival Market.
This year’s Lichfield Food Festival Market will take place on the Market Square, and will extend to surrounding streets and through Three Spires Shopping Centre. It will run on Saturday 30 August from 9am to 5pm and on Sunday 31 August between 10am and 4pm.
Organised by Lichfield City Council, the weekend market will bring an abundance of passionately produced food from across the region and beyond, together with a wide range of goods to Lichfield.
Markets’ Officer Rachel Clive said: “With such a versatile selection of delicious traditional British and multi-cultural hot and cold food on offer over the weekend, Lichfield Food Festival Market will definitely have something to suit all tastes. On Sunday children can enjoy the experience with a visit to the children’s activity stall on Market Square where, for £2.50, they can create their own personalised sweetie box to take home.”
To see all of the stall holders that will be showcasing their produce, visit http://www.lichfieldfood.co.uk/market/
One of the market’s highlights will be the pop up cookery demonstrations taking place over the two days of the festival on Market Square, organised by Central England Co-operative in association with chef Simon Smith.
Top chefs from across the region will prepare dishes in front of the crowds using The Co-operative food range.
The series of free displays will kick off on Saturday 30 August at 11am when head chef Paul Gilmore from Restaurant Gilmore will take to the pop up kitchen. They will run on the hour with the last demonstration starting at 4pm. Chefs, including choclatier Daniel Jones, star baker Duncan Hindley, local private caterer Simon Smith, Trevor Hancock from Super Yachts and Gail Abbey from Sospa Fitness, will also be cooking up a storm on Saturday.
On Sunday 31 August, the demonstrations will start at 12noon when Paul Bough will prepare dishes using Henckel Zwilling Knives. The displays will run on hour, and will also feature Richard Turner from Turner’s Restaurant, Matt Davies from Moat House and Sorrento’s Head chef Umberto. The final display of the festival will be by the owner of Lichfield’s Ruby restaurant, who will demonstrate Chinese dishes from 4pm.
Chef Simon Smith said: “From high end dining and healthy eating, to chocolate treats and fun food for the family, there are plenty of displays to choose from.”
Lichfield Food Festival also includes a celebration of local brewers in the Guildhall, cookery demonstrations showcasing kitchen gadgets at The Kitchen Shop and The George Hotel, a children’s Cupcake Hunt starting at St Mary’s in the Market Square (Saturday only), a baking competition at Three Spires Shopping Centre (Sunday), as well as food and drink trails.
Some familiar faces will also be appearing, including TV chef Rachel Green, the QVC and Ideal World TV presenter, Mal Harradine, and Christine Wallace, finalist in the Great British Bake Off.
For the full Lichfield Food Festival programme, please visit http://www.lichfieldfood.co.uk
There will be road closures over the two day festival that will affect Tamworth Street (lower section), Conduit Street, Breadmarket Street, Market Street and Bore Street. To find the nearest car parks, please visitwww.lichfielddc.gov.uk/carparkmap
Lichfield Food Festival is organised in partnership by Lichfield District Council, Central England Co-operative, Chef Simon Smith, Lichfield City Council, Three Spires Shopping Centre, Lichfield Arts, Tippers, Cakeydora, The Kitchen Shop and The George Hotel. It is sponsored by Central England Co-operative, Tippers and NFU Mutual.
August’s cycle ride for all
Everyone’s invited to get on their bike and join a cycle ride to Fisherwick Lakes on Sunday 24 August 2014.
Following July’s Cycle Rides for All, which saw 35 people go on a three and a half mile taster cycle ride that set off from Beacon Park, the partnership behind the series of monthly rides is once again inviting keen cyclists to get on their bike for August’s ride.
The sixth group cycle ride in the series is to Fisherwick Lakes on Sunday 24 August. It is an eight and a half mile cycle ride there and back and has been awarded a level 2 for difficulty, which means it is suitable for all.
Councillor Andy Smith, Lichfield District Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure & Parks, said: “We’re always keen to encourage more people to get on their bikes and take part in this healthy and fun activity, and so are pleased to be working in partnership to support these monthly cycle rides. They are a great way for people to discover good cycle routes, meet new people, and have an enjoyable day out.”
To join in this free cycle ride, simply bring your bike to Freedom Cycles, in Lichfield Bus Station, at 10am on Sunday 24 August, where it will be given a safety check before the group sets off. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.
To find out more, or to check whether a ride is taking place if the weather is uncertain, please call Freedom Cycles on 01543 411633 or Karl Sproston at Lichfield District Council on 01543 308846.
Details of this and September’s cycle ride can be found online at http://www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/cyclerides.
Cycle Rides for All is run in partnership by Lichfield District Council, Freedom Cycles, Bromford Living, North Lichfield Initiative and Lichfield City Council.
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