Fab Foodie Line-up for Ards and North Down’s Taste Autumn
An exciting programme of activity starts on 31 August with Taste Autumn in Ards and North Down.
It gives you the chance to savour some of the Borough’s finest food and drink, culminating in the popular Tide and Turf Food Festival in Portavogie on Saturday 2 September.
The very best of our local seafood, beef and harvest foods will be celebrated with free and ticketed events.
These include exclusive foodie experiences in unique locations, chef demonstrations, with a focus on our delicious local produce.
And there will be a chance to enjoy a hot chocolate at the most easterly point on the island while exploring our starry skies.
Stargazing, the first event of Taste Autumn, takes place at Ballyhalbert’s Burr Point (31 August).
Join the Northern Ireland Amateur Astronomy Society and use their telescopes to learn about the planets and galaxies above.
This was a hugely popular event when it was organised for the first time last year so tickets are expected to sell out fast!
On Friday 1 September, celebrity chef Paula McIntyre will host a unique evening dining experience at Dine at the Dock in Portavogie.
Diners will enjoy a four-course tasting menu curated by Paula and the team at South Eastern Regional College.
This is a rare fine dining opportunity in an unusual pop-up restaurant setting and will be an evening to remember. Tickets cost £75 per person.
Dine at the Dock provides the perfect way to kick-off a memorable weekend of foodie events with the popular Tide and Turf Food Festival taking place the following day.
Thousands of people are expected to attend the annual event on Saturday 2 September, when Portavogie Harbour will come to life with a range of activities and foodie attractions for all the family.
The Festival takes place from 12noon until 5pm and will feature cookery demonstrations, lots of family fun with pedal boats, sand crafts and Punch and Judy shows.
There will also be the opportunity to grab a deck chair and enjoy live music from the String Ninjas and the Florentinas. More details about this free-to-attend event will be released in the coming weeks.
A free return bus service will run from Bangor, Donaghadee and Ballyhalbert to Dine at the Dock, while free buses will also be in operation to and from the Tide and Turf Food Festival.
Back in Bangor, the Chilli Festival returns on 9 and 10 September.
Bangor Castle Walled Garden will be heating up with many different varieties of chilli plants on display, together with local producers, an evening barbeque on Saturday 9 September (tickets cost £20), live music and more!
For a full list of Taste Autumn events, to book tickets and plan your journey with parking information and bus timetables, go to:
