Feed your appetite with Wicklow Naturally’s October Feast 2021
Wicklow Naturally’s October Feast is a month-long celebration of Wicklow’s food and drinks story, including farming, foraging, brewing, distilling, and much more.
October is traditionally the end of the harvest, so it is the perfect month to showcase Wicklow Naturally’s members’ unique selection of food and drink.
Wicklow Naturally’s Chairperson, Pamela Walsh, said: “We aim to build on last year’s success, with the 2021 event bursting with flavour with over 30 in-person and virtual events. We have created engaging, inclusive, and memorable events so that attendees can enjoy all that our excellent members have to offer.”
Wicklow’s thriving food & drink scene will be celebrated throughout October by showcasing our members’ range of products, diverse experiences and numerous interactive events.
Feed your appetite and fill your calendar with these delicious eventss from hands-on masterclasses, learning about farm-family sustainable stories, taking some of the country’s best distillery, beer, wine tasting tours, to cooking demonstrations, meeting the producer and heading out on guided foraging and mushroom hunts.
Many of the hospitality and retail members’ who carry Wicklow Naturally’s products will be highlighted as well as how they’ve partnered to use each other’s food in very innovative ways.
The network will also hold food waste, food poverty and environmental awareness initiatives.
Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr Shay Cullen, said: “Combining the rich experience of in-person safe events and the reach and convenience of virtual events on offer, it’s the ideal format for the October Feast 2021 programme as it gives the attendees equally rewarding experiences. So why not explore, discover and get involved in the many events planned across County Wicklow this October.”
Read the October Feast special edition of theWicklow Naturally Newsletter below here.
October Feast events 2021 at a glance…
This year’s October Feast has something for everyone. There are 30+ unique in-person and virtual events to tantalise the tastebuds. The full event programme is available at https://wicklownaturally.ie/events/.
Here are some of the highlights:
Meet the Makers
You can ‘Meet the Makers’, taste their delicious range and get some great recipe ideas every Friday throughout October from 12 noon to 2 pm at Gallagher’s SuperValu Wicklow. The exciting schedule includes Mic’s Chilli on October 1st, Wicklow Rapeseed Oil on October 8th, Old MacDonnell’s Farm on October 15th and Le Paysan on October 29th.
Enjoy a taste of Wicklow Naturally
Enjoy a taste of Wicklow Naturally as our eatery members throughout the county showcase the finest Wicklow produce in their seasonal menus. There are numerous dining experiences to tantalise your taste buds, including BrookLodge & Macreddin Village, Lily’s On Church Street, Mickey Finn’s Pub and Restaurant, Sorrel & Eve, The Wicklow Escape, The Victorian Tea Rooms and Woodenbridge Hotel & Lodge.
Have a culinary adventure
Have an unforgettable culinary adventure with our bespoke food and drink producers’ tours of County Wicklow and include:
Tour 1 – Visit Ballyknocken House and Cookery School, Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese and Wicklow Brewery on Saturday, October 2nd
Tour 2 – Enjoy a wonderful tour of West Wicklow food producers, with visits to Bailey’s Farm, Tinahely Farm Shop and Coolattin Cheddar on Saturday, October 9th
Tour 3 – Take in a tour of An Tairseach Organic Farm, cooking demonstration and meal on Friday, October 8th. Book here.
Tour 4 – Includes a visit to Wicklow Way Wines (Winery), Wicklow Wolf Brewery, and Powerscourt Distillery on Saturday, October 16th
Tour 5 – Take a trip to BallyHubbock Farm, Daisy Cottage Farm and Russborough House on Saturday, October 30th
On tours 2, 4, and 5 a locally-sourced light lunch or picnic is also included. Tickets for Tours 1, 2, 4, & 5 are €50.00 and can be purchased by emailing: macconglinnetours@mail.com or calling +353 87 6998103.
Forage for tasty ingredients
Wicklow Naturally forager members Hips and Haws Wildcrafts, Mushroomstuff and Wicklow Wild Foods will host several tours during October Feast to teach attendees how to forage for food in County Wicklow.
Culinary Talks
Are you looking to escape from the comfort of your home? Well, why not join a member of the Wicklow Naturally network who will discuss Wicklow Signature Dishes and other culinary topics.
The free series of culinary library virtual events will take place every Tuesday throughout the month of October. These events will be streamed on Wicklow Naturally’s Facebook page: facebook.com/WicklowNaturally at 7 pm.
Oíche Shamhna Cocktail Night
Powerscourt Distillery Ltd presents Oiche Samhna Cocktail Night online event on Sunday, October 31st. The evening promises to be a great night. It will feature Fercullen Whiskey and other Wicklow Naturally members’ produce, including Kilmullen Farm’s Apple Juice, Nick’s Coffee, Olly’s Farm Honey, and Daisy Cottage Farm cordials.
Wicklow Naturally Extravaganza
Come and join us on the Market Square in Wicklow Town for a festival of hearty soul food, wine, beer, and music. We’re excited to be showcasing the very best of Wicklow’s produce together with our friends Sorrel & Eve, Brady’s Coffee Company & Ernie’s Bar on Thursday, October 21st from 6 pm.
Wicklow Naturally Market
Take home a taste of Wicklow from the exclusive Wicklow Naturally Market for October Feast. There will be a fabulous range of Wicklow Naturally produce to buy. The Market will be open from 10 am to 4 pm at Fitzwilliam Square in Wicklow Town on Saturday, October 9th and Saturday, October 23rd.
Places are limited on tours and selected events. Tickets can be booked by visiting our event page at https://wicklownaturally.ie/events/. To book a dining experience at any of our members’ eateries, please contact the hotel or restaurant directly.
All events are subject to change without notice and may be dependant on weather.
October Feast Student Challenge
We all know that food waste is an ethical and environmental problem as every year, about one-third of all food in the world is lost or wasted across all stages in the food supply chain.
Waste means opportunity so during Wicklow Naturally’s month-long October Feast we’ve asked 6th Class and Transition Year students in County Wicklow to take part in the student challenge competition and suggest innovative solutions to food waste… entries can be submitted here: