From basic burgers and chips to a wide variety of international cuisines, this podcast explores the evolution of food options at music festivals. It discusses the challenges faced by festival caterers and the importance of zoning festival areas. The narrator also delves into the world of festival food, from lavish banquets curated by renowned chefs to eating on a budget. Tips for maximizing the festival experience and green initiatives at festivals are shared, along with efforts made to improve food sourcing and caterings sustainability.
The food scene at music festivals has evolved from basic options like burger and chips to now offering a range of diverse cuisines and culinary experiences.
Festivals are increasingly focusing on sustainability by sourcing local and organic ingredients, reducing waste, and promoting environmentally friendly food options.
Deep dives
Feeding Thousands at Music Festivals
Feeding thousands of people at music festivals requires careful planning and organization. Festival catering is a unique challenge due to the extended duration of the event and the need to serve a diverse range of food. The End of the Road festival, for example, feeds between 17,000 and 20,000 people with approximately 40 food stores offering a variety of cuisines. Festival food vendors face intense competition to secure a spot at popular festivals, with hundreds of applications received. The layout and zoning of food areas play a crucial role in creating the right atmosphere and meeting the specific needs of festivalgoers.
The Evolution of Festival Food
The food offered at music festivals has greatly evolved over the years. While burger and chips used to dominate the options, there has been a shift towards more interesting and diverse cuisines. Festivals now showcase a range of culinary experiences, from vegetarian and vegan buffets to global cuisines like Persian and Korean. Quality ingredients, local produce, and a focus on freshness are shaping the food scene at festivals. However, increasing costs and the rise of corporate sponsorship pose challenges to maintaining the high quality and variety of festival food.
The Intersection of Food and Sustainability
The relationship between food and sustainability in the festival scene is gaining attention. Festivals are adopting practices to promote more environmentally friendly food options. Some festivals prioritize sourcing local and organic ingredients, while others aim to reduce waste and single-use packaging. Initiatives such as traffic light labeling to indicate carbon footprints and partnering with food charities to redistribute unused food are becoming more common. The goal is to create a more sustainable and conscious food culture within the festival environment.
As summer draws to a close, Jaega Wise heads to the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) to learn what goes into feeding the thousands of fans gathered for the Green Man festival. Over the past 20 years or so, the food at music festivals has evolved from mostly burgers, chips and noodles, to an array of traders cooking foods from all over the world, sit-down banquets, and chefs on the line up.
So what has driven this change, and can it continue to thrive while the cost of everything involved in producing it has risen so much? What has the evolution of better festival food meant for sustainability? And what do you do if you don’t want to spend a fortune on food at a festival, but still want to eat well? Comedian George Egg has some answers.
Presented by Jaega Wise
Produced in Bristol for BBC Audio by Natalie Donovan
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