The Brixham Fishstock Food Festival is a well-respected urban music and seafood festival which takes place on the second Saturday in September down on the pretty quay. As well as tastings and cookery demonstrations there is a stage with live music supported by stalls of goodies from local food and wine producers. It's a wonderful showcase of Devon's fishing industry in a truly delightful setting.
Brixham Harbour's charming atmosphere
The fishing port of Brixham can be found in the English Riviera, Torbay. Even though it is as quaint a fishing port as it is possible to get, attracting thousands of tourists every year, it is still primarily a working port. Enjoy all the hustle and bustle, not to mention the many traditions that go hand in hand with this maritime way of life.
The rusty industrial trawlers which creak in the harbour don't detract from the olde world atmosphere of Brixham and they are open for tours as part of the festival. The pubs nestled in the hillside were once the haunts of smugglers. The tiny alleyways which at first glance seem far too steep to even think about negotiating make this fishing port a favourite with people from all over the country.
Brixham Fish Market and more
One aspect of Brixham that really does stand out due to its modern dynamic design is the new Brixham Fish Market that is part of the £20 million redevelopment of the harbour. This is the venue for the highly acclaimed Brixham Fishstock Food Festival that takes place in early September every year.
The festival is a celebration of the sea with all proceeds going to the highly regarded Fisherman's Mission which overlooks the Fish Market. In 2013 the event raised an impressive £10,000 for this local charity.
If you find yourself in this part of the world, the Fishstock Food Festival is well worth a visit. With a modest entrance fee of around £5 for adults it represents superb value for money, especially with live evening entertainment as part of the deal.
Cooking demonstrations at the Brixham Fishstock Food Festival
The gates open at 10am and that is basically when all of the fun starts. The best way to arrive is by local transport to avoid the congested streets and parking problems. There's a Park and Ride service from Churston or use the Western Lady Ferry form Torquay or the Greenway Ferry from Dartmouth and Torquay.
There are a couple of stages which host various music acts throughout the day and into the evening. Numerous local stalls offer everything from homemade chutney, local fish and crab delicacies to local food producers who are only too keen to offer samples of their produce before you buy.
For many people, one of the main highlights of the Fishstock Festival is the cooking demonstrations that take part throughout the day. These entertaining and informative cooking shows are performed by world renowned chefs who are eager to let their audience participate. If you have ever witnessed one of these events before you will know that some of the samples that are given out really are quite delicious.
There is a Ready Steady Cook type competition that sees the likes of Mitch Tonks competing, all brilliant fun. The onsite Oyster and Champagne Bar deserves a special mention and must be experienced – it's absolutely gorgeous!
Everyone is made more than welcome at the Brixham Fishstock Food festival and there is even a crèche for dogs should you wish to bring man's best friend to enjoy the festivities.
All in all Brixham Fishstock Food Festival is a fabulous day out and one which will appeal to the whole family. If food festivals such as this are your thing, can you recommend any others where a good time for the whole family is virtually guaranteed?
Born in Cheshire, Gillian Birch moved to Cornwall at her earliest opportunity and never looked back. After 20 years, her ongoing discovery of popular attractions, quiet footpaths and local eateries has made her a fount of knowledge as she entertains readers with her informative articles on the hidden gems of Devon & Cornwall from a local point-of-view.
Is this event organised and run by some of the ex-fisherman? It’s obvious that this is more than just a hobby for the people who have organised this event. This is a passion. They want to set up this extravagant event while their sole ambition is to make a difference in the Fisherman’s Mission charity. Perhaps they were personally affected by a traumatic event out at sea or had a friend who was.
Then again the cooking demonstrations are based purely on fish. I would’ve thought the fisherman would need a break from that.