Forest Feastival launches this weekend with new offers for families looking to beat the back-to-school blues.
With ten of the best street food traders Wales has to offer in every session, it can be difficult to make a choice. So, Forest Feastival has worked with the chefs to develop taster dishes for around £5 – smaller plates which make it easier for visitors to try more of what’s on offer.
On the launch weekend (2-4 September) The Warren will be serving a wrap filled with either hogget kofta, Teifi halloumi or miso-marinated squash. Fire & Flank are offering a surf & turf slider and Rock & Scallop will be serving up a grilled king scallop with black pudding and chorizo. There’s chicken yakitori or samphire tempura from Tokyo Nights, pork belly or vegan beef bao from Bao Selecta and, for dessert, mini brownies with ice cream from Pwdin.
All these are being offered alongside traders’ main menus.
During the daytime sessions on Saturdays and Sundays Citrus Arts will be running free circus workshops to keep the children active and entertained. A circus zone is being created among the trees at the Forest Feastival site for performances and so that kids can try circus skills including stilt-walking, juggling and an aerial rig for a safe trapeze experience.
The circus workshops and entry to Forest Feastival are both free for children.
Furry friends haven’t been forgotten, with the launch this weekend of a new Forest Feastival dogs ticket!
As it’s a sensitive site in the woodlands, numbers are limited and dogs have to stay on the lead, but anyone who wishes to bring their pets along will be able to book a special dog ticket for the Saturday afternoon session. The free dogs ticket is being piloted for the first weekend (Saturday 3 September) with the hope it can be rolled out for the rest of the festival.
Forest Feastival founder and Street Food Circus ringmaster, Matt the Hat said:
“It’s September and inevitably everyone’s got that ‘back to school’ feeling so we’re creating lots of ways to keep the summer vibes going for the whole family – and even the dog!
“We’re thrilled Citrus Arts are joining us, not just with their amazing circus performances, but also to run the free kids workshops. We really want to create an experience that everyone can enjoy and make it as inclusive as possible.
“We’re also grateful to all our amazing street food traders who’ve taken on the challenge of creating taster dishes. It really adds to the experience if you’re able to try lots of taster dishes and get a sense of what each chef is creating – alongside their amazing main menus too.
“You can’t escape the headlines about the pressures on prices and the cost of living this autumn. So we’re working extra hard to create an event that offers the best possible value for the customer while also supporting the incredible independent small food businesses which are at the heart of Street Food Circus – from £5 dishes and free kids’ tickets to free circus workshops and free parking,” he said.
Forest Feastival is four weekends of taste and flavour in a woodland, near a castle, by the sea. The unique street food festival takes place in a wooded site, just behind the dunes at Merthyr Mawr from Friday evenings to Sundays every weekend in September.
