Forest Feastival opens this week at Candleston Woods, bringing a four-week run of street food, live entertainment and family-friendly experiences to the Merthyr Mawr coastline.
The open-air dining experience, created by Street Food Circus, gets underway on Friday 17 April and runs across four weekends, including the early May bank holiday, before wrapping up on 10 May.
Set among the trees and dunes, the festival launches with a strong line-up of Welsh street food talent, including British Street Food Award winners Pasta a Mano and Hakko House, alongside the return of crowd favourites Hang Fire BBQ.
Visitors heading along this week can expect a mix of regular traders and rotating street food concepts, with dishes ranging from pork belly bao buns and quesabirria tacos to brisket Bolognese and Afghan wraps.
New additions to the Street Food Circus line-up this year include Mama Lala, serving Sichuan street food, and Hakko House, bringing Japanese flavours to the forest setting.
Classic Hang Fire BBQ dishes will return later in the festival for the early May bank holiday weekend, with their signature slow-cooked style inspired by Southern US barbecue traditions.
Alongside the food, organisers have placed a bigger focus on families for 2026, with the launch of the Little Kooks Club. Younger visitors can enjoy dedicated activities, a kids’ circus school and interactive food experiences, while under 16s can attend the festival for free.
Street Food Circus founder and ‘ringmaster’ Matt the Hat said:
“We’re bringing some serious street food superstars to the forest with us this year, including some who you’ll only find at our events this summer. We’re thrilled to be able to give a welcome to some new traders to the circus this year too and give people the chance to meet the chefs and explore more new cuisines.
“This year we’re going all out to make it a festival for the whole family. We’re in the perfect location to make a great day out, surrounded by woodland and dunes, and we’re excited to be launching our first ever club for kids to give them their very own festival experience, designed just for them,” he said.
Sam & Shauna, founders of Hang Fire BBQ added:
“We’re delighted to be back with the incredible team at Street Food Circus this year, marking the 12th anniversary of our working together. We love their creativity and passion, with a focus on making the best curated food festivals in the UK that are both fun and, of course, delicious – we can’t wait to be back!”
Beyond the street food, visitors can expect roaming circus performers, marshmallow fire pits and evening DJ sets, with the woodland setting transforming into a relaxed, festival-style atmosphere as the sun goes down.
