8 food festivals at the coast you shouldn't miss in 2025
There’s something special about food by the sea. Maybe it’s the salty breeze, the sound of seagulls, or the way flavours seem to come alive when you’re just a few steps from the shore. Across Britain’s coast, food festivals are celebrating the best of local produce — from just-landed seafood to farmhouse cheeses, foraged herbs, handmade bakes, and the passionate people behind it all.
Whether you’re planning a foodie road trip or just fancy a delicious day out, here are eight coastal food festivals that serve up the best of Britain’s shoreline — with a healthy side of sea air.
1. Porthleven Food Festival, Cornwall
2-4 May 2025: A vibrant, community-led event with sea views, street food, chef demos, and a buzzing harbourside vibe. Expect everything from crab tacos to Cornish pasties — and a live music stage right by the water. Visit the Porthleven Food Festival site now.
2. St Ives Food and Drink Festival, Cornwall
16-18 May 2025: A beachside celebration of local food with fire pit cooking, chef masterclasses, and food stalls right on Porthminster Beach. Stay for the sundowners and live music. Visit the St Ives Food and Drink Festival site now.
3. Pembrokeshire Street Food Festival, Fishguard
9-11 August 2025: A joyful family-friendly event with plenty of sea views, good food, and music — a great excuse to make a weekend of it in this postcard-perfect town. Visit the Pembrokeshire Street Food Festival website here.
4. Isle of Wight Garlic Festival
16-17 August 2025: Unusual and unforgettable — a full weekend celebrating all things garlic, with food stalls, live music, and entertainment in a beautiful island setting. Visit the Isle of Wight Garlic Festival here.
5. North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival
30-31 August 2025: Held on the beautiful Holkham Estate, this festival celebrates the region’s best produce — from salt-marsh lamb to Cromer crab — in an elegant, unspoilt coastal setting. Visit the North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival site here.
6. Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival, Suffolk
27-28 September 2025: Set on the beautiful Snape Maltings site, this thoughtfully curated festival champions East Anglian produce. Think oysters, cider, local sea salt, and bakery goods with a backdrop of marshes and estuaries. Visit the Aldeburgh Food Festival website here.
7. Hastings Seafood Wine and Music Festival, Sussex
12-14 September 2025: A laid-back affair featuring locally landed fish, Sussex wines, and coastal charm. Bonus: the iconic black fishing huts and maritime history of the Old Town. Visit the Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival here.
8. Dartmouth Food Festival, Devon
24-26 October 2025: Mixing coastal character with culinary clout, this is one of the UK’s most respected food festivals. Expect serious chef talent, pop-ups, wine tastings, and riverside ambience. Visit the Dartmouth Food Festival website here.
Want to make a meal of it? Try our guide...
Food festivals by the sea offer more than great bites — they’re a reminder of how local produce, landscape, and culture come together in joyful, delicious ways. From harbourside bites to beachside brews, these events make the coast even tastier.
Looking to plan your own road trip to Britain’s best foodie coastal spots? The Coastal Café Guide is full of handpicked, independently run gems just waiting to be discovered.
Explore the guide and our other titles in our online bookshop here.
Extra Mile Books
We’re an independent, South West-based publisher of guides to independent places to eat and drink. Our three guides have each been Amazon #1 bestsellers, and make great gifts for foodies: there’s The Coastal Café Guide, The Farm Shop Guide, and The Extra Mile: Delicious Alternatives to Motorway Services.
