Inaugural food festival sets Rebel taste buds alight

Cork is rightly proud of its fantastic produce and its excellent array of eateries and restaurants so it’s no surprise that that Cork city’s new food festival was a huge success.

Cork on a Fork Fest ran from 17-21 August and featured more than 50 businesses who offered up an array of experiences from talks and tastings to bread making, food trails and much more!

Indeed some events showcased not just our great food but the potential of the city itself to be a better and more interesting space for Corkonians.

Some of the many highlights from a great series of events including special play streets which featured giant jenga, connect four, balance board games, tug of war and much more while people enjoyed delicious food on Caroline Street and on Beasley Street - what a great idea!

The Taste of Cork Tapas Trail was a great event. The guided walking tour went through Cork’s vibrant new outdoor dining areas on a trail exploring the food and drinks of the area. There were samples at restaurants serving Cork on a Plate, a Birdcage Charcuterie and Cheese of Cork as well as the drinks of Cork. There was also a Cork Tasting Trail.

Another event combined yoga and Cork sushi on the Boardwalk, while Princes Street saw Cork soprano Emma Nash sing to diners at lunchtime. Cultured or what?

There were street BBQs, coffee roasting workshops, beer tastings and churros workshops too, so there really was a variety of events.

Cork on a Fork Fest was supported by Cork City Council, in partnership with the local hospitality sector and The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to establish Cork city as a vibrant food destination and as part of Cork’s efforts to create a more diverse and sustainable night-time economy, in support of the Report of the National Night-Time Economy Taskforce. It is also supported by Pure Cork, Fáilte Ireland, Ireland’s Ancient East, Cork Business Association.