Hillsborough International Oyster Festival
The elegant Georgian village of Hillsborough in County Down hosts its oyster festival each September, where Carlingford and Strangford Lough oysters are opened in competition for a world title and served with champagne in the village square while chef demonstrations and live music fill the streets of one of Northern Ireland's prettiest villages.
A fastidiously preserved Georgian square anchored by a royal castle and a Grade A church makes Hillsborough one of the most architecturally coherent villages in Northern Ireland, with enough independent food, drink and a seasonal farmers market to fill a comfortable half-day without strain.
Cottages, B&Bs and hotels near Hillsborough, County Down.
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"The elegant village of Hillsborough, built around a Georgian church and an eighteenth-century castle in County Down, hosts its Christmas market each December bringing together Northern Irish craft producers and food stalls in one of the most architecturally composed village settings on the island."
Hillsborough Christmas Market
"81 years of County Down agriculture at Glenbrook Farm, where livestock classes run from poultry to pedigree cattle alongside craft stalls in a village show that has never forgotten why it started."
Saintfield Show
"A community agricultural show in one of County Down's most picturesque castle villages on Strangford Lough, with livestock, home industries and the particular pleasure of a small show done properly."
Killyleagh Show
"A celebration of the prized Comber Earlies potato, with a food village in this County Down market town."
Comber Earlies Food Festival
"A traditional one-day agricultural show in the Mourne foothills with livestock, horses and home industries."
Castlewellan Show
"A week of galas, the famous Galway hooker boat races and street fun where Strangford Lough meets the sea."
Portaferry Gala
"Over 50 events across four days in the Orchard County of Northern Ireland, where the apple orchards are heavy with cider fruit and the programme runs from orchard tours and artisan markets to 5-star open-fire dining under the trees."
Armagh Food and Cider Weekend
"The world's largest independent cheese competition, judging entries from over 50 countries, sits at the centre of the Nantwich Show's full day of livestock, rural crafts, food and family entertainment at Reaseheath College."
Nantwich Show and International Cheese Awards
"A weekend of street food, chef demos and artisan stalls in the parkland of a Palladian house on the edge of Swindon, part of the series Villagly already lists at Compton Verney."
Great British Food Festival, Lydiard Park
"Over 100 food and drink exhibitors fill Parc yr Odyn in Pentraeth each August Bank Holiday weekend, celebrating the exceptional produce of Anglesey and North Wales in a setting looking across the Menai Strait to the mountains of Snowdonia."
Menai Food Festival
"A coastal food celebration on the Durham seafront featuring street food, cookery classes, live music, TV chefs, and locally sourced produce from across the North East."
Seaham Food Festival
"On the first Sunday of August the entire high street of one of England's smallest market towns closes to traffic as local food and craft traders take over Stockbridge's famous single street."
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