|
When |
Where |
What |
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9 Sept |
Old Town Hall (by invitation only) |
Launch of the Food and Drink Festival 2010: with guest speaker Roger Protz, the world's foremost beer writer. The shortlist for the Food and Drink Festival Awards, and a new, special award, will also be announced. This event is sponsored by last year's 'Best Restaurant' winners; Darcy's and Cellar Door Wines, who are providing canapes and wine. Please note that attendance at this event is by invitation only. |
|
18 Sep to 3 Oct |
Willows Farm Shop |
Celebrate Local Produce: Willows Farm Shop is supporting British Food Fortnight with tastings and promotion of British and local produce available in the shop to encourage customers to buy British. Visitors can also win a £100 hamper of local goodies. Daily from 10am-5.30pm. |
|
29 Sep to 2 Oct |
Alban Arena |
St Albans Beer & Cider Festival: Organised by the Campaign for Real Ale, and now in its 15th year, this popular annual event has 6 bars, up to 350 ales, 50 ciders & perries, foreign beers and live music. Advance tickets available for all sessions except Saturday - see website for more details, opening times and prices. |
|
1 to 10 Oct |
Secret Garden Cafe, Courtyard Cafe & Inn on the Park |
Food of Life Photography Exhibition: Candid shots submitted by restaurants and food outlets all over the St Albans District offering an original, personal and intimate view of life in the culinary lane from kitchen to table and illustrating the diversity of food cultures. This project was organized by St Albans Arts, Sport and Health (SAASH), part of Leisure Connection, and facilitated by professional photographer Pete Stevens. |
|
1 to 4 Oct |
The Blacksmith's Arms |
Flower Power Ale Festival: Try some interesting beers themed around the 60’s and 70’s Flower Power era. You can choose from 16 cask ales over the weekend, and there will be great live music from 9pm on Friday and Saturday. |
|
1 to 3 Oct |
The Snug Bar |
Cocktail Festival: Guests will be able to sample a range of cocktails and see various bar tending competitions. This free event, open to all, is taking place in a marquee based in the back of The Snug. The rest of the bar will be open as always. |
|
1 Oct |
St Albans School |
Flagship Wines Autumn Wine Fair: Whether you are knowledgeable or new to wine or just want to find out a little more about wine this will be a great chance to try many wines from their range. At the event there will be around 100 wines available to taste, plus wine accessories and gift ideas with representatives of the winery available to talk to you. There will be many special offers available on the night with an order form tucked into the back of your wine tasting booklet. As usual there will be local breads and cheeses to enjoy, so come and bring your friends for a fun evening From 7 - 10pm. Tickets are £10 per person and can be purchased in advance from Flagship Wines or the Tourist Information Centre. |
|
2 & 3 Oct |
St Julian's Church |
Harvest Festival: Activities for children on Sat 2 Oct from from 11am - 2.30pm (free) and a harvest festival service on Sun 3 Oct at 4.30pm followed by a bring and share tea (free). |
|
2 & 3 Oct |
St Leonard's Church |
Harvest Festival: Annual Flower Festival and Concert with village church filled with flowers arranged by members of the local community. Refreshments available. Sat 2 Oct 10am-6pm. Concert 7.30pm. Sun 3 Oct 11.30am-5.30pm. |
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Sun 3 Oct |
St Paul's Church |
Harvest Festival: An all-age harvest festival service at 10.30am, open to everyone. |
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Sun 3 Oct |
Highfield Park |
Apple Day: A day of celebrating English apples at St Albans' only charity managed Park which has two lovely old orchards. Taste and buy apples and apple juice, watch apple juice being made, browse the craft, gift and artisan food stalls, let the kids be entertained by a face painter, silly appley games, apple themed refreshments and raffle. Learn about growing apples from Aylett Nurseries. Bring along a home baked apple pie and enter the best pie competition. From 12noon to 4pm at Charters Health Club, Russet Drive, off Hill End Lane, St Albans, AL4 0DB. Free entry and car parking. |
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Sun 3 Oct |
Verulamium Musem |
Roman Food and Drink: A demonstration by Museum Archaeologist Alison Turner Rugg. Come along and find out how the Romans cooked and what they ate and drank. Recipe handouts will be available. From 2.30 - 4pm. Free (a museum entry charge applies for non-residents). |
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Sun 3 Oct |
The Boot Inn |
Sunday Music Festival: Hear a selection of local musical talent from St Albans' favourite bands and try something tasty from the cheese board. From 6pm. Free. |
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Mon 4 Oct |
Lussmanns Fish & Grill |
British Food Prom: To celebrate British Food Fortnight (18 Sep to 3 Oct) and the Food and Drink Festival, Lussmanns will be hosting the ultimate 'Chop and Chat' – informal dinners. Hosted by Andrei Lussmann, and attended by a specialist artisan supplier, each event will include bubbly on arrival, a three course dinner and an informal, entertaining insight into why they are so great at what they do. Dates and suppliers: 21 Sep: James Franklin from Corney & Barrow - independent wine merchants since 1780, 4 Oct: Eric Charriaux from Premier Cheese co-founder of La Cave a Fromage, which sells over 200 of the very best British and French cheeses and supplies some of the top restaurants in the UK. Tickets £28.50 including a glass of Blanc de Blanc on arrival, three courses and coffee. Booking essential on 01727 851941. Find out more. |
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Mon 4 Oct |
That Little Place, Harpenden |
Wine Tasting: An opportunity to discover some high quality wines from small producers not available elsewhere - many do not advertise and have been discovered exclusively for Naked Wines, preferred wine supplier to That Little Place. Some very special wines will be selected, including some from the wine producing regions of Harpenden's Twin Towns - Rhine and Loire. Tickets available from Naked Wines at £10 per person (with a £20 voucher redeemable against any Naked Wines ordered). From 6 - 10pm. |
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Tues 5 Oct |
Poggenpohl Showroom |
Gourmet Night: A demonstration by chefs from St Albans AA Rosette awarded restaurants in aid of Grove House. Come to the stunning Poggenpohl showroom and watch chefs from the district's three Rosette awarded restaurants cook a mouth-watering three course meal. Drinks and canapes will be served and there will be a raffle.The event is in aid of Grove House Hospice. Tickets will be available from the Tourist Information Centre or online here (shortly). |
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Tues 5 Oct |
The Black Lion Inn |
Cocktail Shaking Evening: Take center stage at your dinner party by learning how to make the perfect cocktail. The bartenders at The Black Lion Inn will teach you the difference between a muddler and a Mojito. You will be shown how to make four of our most popular cocktails and of course be able to sample them all. The evening includes canapes, cocktails, tuition and recipe cards to take away. £15 per person, booking essential on 01727 891040. |
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Tues 5 Oct |
Olio & Farina |
Wine Tasting: The evening will entail tasting around 6 wines, and finger-food prepared by our chef to complement the wines. There will be extensive information available on the wines, the food offered, and other different serving ideas. In short, it will be a culinary delight! Tickets £18. The evening is scheduled to last for approximately 2 hours from 7.15pm. More details on the website. |
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Tues 5 Oct |
The Peahen |
Wine Tasting: An opportunity to learn a little about tasting, wine making, countries and grapes followed by tasting and wine and food matching. Tickets £15, including tasting, nibbles and a complimentary glass of wine (limited to two per person). From 8 - 9.30pm. Please e mail [email protected] to reserve your space. |
|
5 to 10 Oct |
The Secret Garden Cafe |
Open Studios: View a selection of local artists' work while visiting the cafe. Open from 10am to 4pm daily (11am - 4pm Sunday, closed Monday). |
|
5 to 9 Oct |
The White Hart Tap |
Regional Pie Week: Sample a range of pies from different regions of the uk with a beer to match. |
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Wed 6 Oct |
Cafe at the Abbey |
Traditional roast lunch:Celebrate the Food and Drink Festival with a traditional home made three course roast lunch using the best locally sourced ingredients, 2 courses £10.95 or 3 courses £13.95 including freshly brewed coffee and mints. From 12noon - 3pm. |
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Wed 6 Oct |
The Boot Inn |
Cheese Night: Free cheese board - bring a piece of cheese to donate to the table. From 6pm. |
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Wed 6 Oct |
The Peahen |
Live Jazz: Live music from Gabrielle Ghray, who is a fantastic jazz vocalist, singing a lot of easy-listening jazz standards, alongside the occasional French and Latin classics. |
|
Thu 7 Oct |
The Caledon Community Centre |
London Colney Food Festival 2010: Aiming to showcase the great retail and wholesale food industry that operates in and around the village. The day will consist of exhibitors offering dietary advice, special offers and products for sale. There will be a free recipe exchange, a raffle draw, children's games and a 3 course lunch provided for only £2.50 as part of the day. A 'Fun With Food' show will be provided free of charge aimed to encourage youngsters into appreciating healthy and fun things do with food. From 12noon - 5pm. More details. |
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Thu 7 Oct |
Sopwell House |
Gala Dinner and Awards: Enjoy a fabulous three course dinner at Sopwell House and find out who has won the coveted Food and Drink Festival 2010 Awards. Details to follow shortly. |
|
Thu 7 Oct |
Tudors Restaurant, White Hart Hotel |
Haunted Dinner: Enjoy a 3 course meal, coffee, glass of wine and ghost tour. With over 600 years of history it is little wonder that there have been so many reputed ghostly sightings in The White Hart. Their resident ghostly expert will talk you through the history and provide a guided tour of the most haunted areas of the Hotel. Not for the faint-hearted! Pre-booking required. |
|
7 to 9 Oct |
Market Place and St Peter's Street |
Italian Street Market: Professional traders passionate about Italian food and cuisine. Enjoy panifico, pastas, olives and olive oil, coffee and ice cream. |
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Fri 8 Oct |
Oaklands College Alban Park Campus |
The Great Food Fight: Do you think you are a good judge of food? Put your skills to the test as two professional chefs, each with a team of catering students, battle it out to produce the best restaurant quality 3 course meal. Watch the competition first hand, enjoy a delicious 3 course meal and drinks for just £25 and decide which team should be named The Great Food Fight champions. Places are limited and to reserve your seat please email [email protected]. Profits go to charity. |
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Sun 10 Oct |
St Albans Abbey |
Harvest Festival: The Cathedral will be having its harvest festival and will be specially dressed with flowers. From 8.30am - 5.45pm. |
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Sun 10 Oct |
St Michael's Church & St Peter's Church |
Harvest Festivals: Services at 9.30am. At St Peter's Church, the clergy and congregation will then process down St Peter Street and bless the market in Market Place. |
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Sun 10 Oct |
Market Place and St Peter's Street |
Farmers' Market: Get fresh and fruity at the St Albans Farmers' Market on the 2nd Sunday each month, from 8am - 2pm. Expect to find local specialities, mouth watering cheeses, seasonal fruit and vegetables, fresh herbs, top quality meat and game, dairy produce, freshly baked cakes & bread and hand crafted goods. Plus entertainment and refreshments. |
|
Sun 10 Oct |
Market Place and St Peter's Street |
Food and Drink Festival Finale: The Festival comes to a close with special food and drink stalls alongside the monthly Farmers' Market. |