Feast of food at Midleton festival

One of the foodie events of the year lands in East Cork next week when Midleton will be lined with food and drink vendors on both sides of the main street, with cuisines from the world over to whet every appetite, for the fEast festival.

The event, running from September1-7, with the main street market on the final day, will feature a wide variety of local food and drink, crafts, and entertainment.

The festival is organised by the Midleton & Area Chamber and applications for vendors are currently open.

This celebration of all things tasty has massively grown since its inception. And no better place to have it than Midleton, a bustling town with a wealth of top quality eateries and restaurants, not to mention Ballycotton with the Sea Church and Salty Dog on its doorstep.

East Cork is quite simply spoiled for choice when it comes to food, glorious food.

So what can we expect to indulge in at this year’s fEast festival? Let’s take a look.

Dinky Donuts

Trading since 2014, Dinky Donuts first made a name for itself at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival and is very much a family affair.

The Smyth family have been serving up delicious mini donuts and coffee all over the place and have solidified their presence at markets all over Cork county.

Owner Craig Smyth advised visitors: “Don’t forget to visit us at this year’s fEast for Ireland’s freshest donuts, made fresh in front of your eyes!”

They can be booked for private events and Dinky also has a franchise option, if you fancied getting in on the act.

And grab a coffee too!

Volcano Pizza

It wouldn’t be a food festival without pizza, and Volcano Pizza are pretty much the god tier upper crust of the genre.

I consider myself to be a pizza aficionado and I wouldn’t lie to you when it comes to pizza, because it’s serious business to me - and I promise you, their pepperoni is just a chef’s kiss of a treat.

Company director Simon Mould has one simple ethos, “We don’t serve anything we wouldn’t serve to our own kids.”

You can find Volcano all over, with pitches in Killeagh, Carrigtwohill, and the Farmer’s Market in Midleton. Check out their Facebook page for dates, times and places.

Husband and wife duo Colette and Simon, are kept extremely busy due to the success of Volcano and their truck is run by a delightfully friendly staff who always seem to love doing what they do.

Volcano has recently added an online app to its arsenal, so you can order via click and collect which is really handy, if you’re in a rush and just want to grab margherita and go. Their prices are also very competitive.

Simple ingredients, done with love. And extra cheese!

The Grumpy Bakers

With locations in Midleton town and Washington Street in Cork city, The Grumpy Bakers are making their mark on the county with indulgent baked goods, freshly made each day.

They also have fresh bread made with organic flours, from wholemeal to sourdough, and everything in between.

Sharon Gleeson, from Grumpy Bakers (who was actually very upbeat and not a bit grumpy) explained their ethos: “The Grumpy Bakers is a sourdough bakery (sour, geddit?) specialising in naturally fermented breads and seasonal pastries, founded in Midleton.

“We pride ourselves on working with local producers, growers, and farmers to bring the best of Irish ingredients together.”

And demand for their gorgeous-smelling buns and cakes must be pretty high, because when I rocked up to meet with the staff, they were almost sold out. So make sure to beat the cake-rush!

Among the highlights of fEast 2025 is a quiz night at popular Midleton pub JJ Coppinger’s on September 2 from 8pm, and it promises a night of a good craic and nice prizes!

Midleton Distillery will be offering 50% off their Whiskey Experiences, a Cocktail Making Class and a Behind The Scenes Tour. You can even have a whiskey tasting at their swanky, art deco-style bar.

And speaking of swanky, Ballyvolane House will be playing host to a Forest and Fire on Friday, September 5, which promises to be an immersive food experience, celebrating wild herbs and leaves, from their own gardens.

All ingredients will be locally sourced to highlight the amazing cheesemakers, farmers and fishermen in the area.

A farm-to-fork dining experience will hit on Saturday, September 6, as Yellow Belly Farm host dinner, at their site in Midleton. Each ticket comes with a welcome Prosecco at reception. You had us at Prosecco!

The kids will have a lovely workshop to look forward to, brought to you from the gang at Bricks4Kidz, for mosaic brick enthusiasts between five and 13 years of age. They have stressed that booking essential to avoid disappointment.

fEast really is not to be missed and will create a unique buzz around the town.

There will be so much to see and do and long tables all along the main street, where everyone can get together and chow down, natter, and enjoy the festivities together.

The finale will be at the Talbot Hotel Midleton with an evening of food and live music from 6pm. Pre-booking, once again, is essential.