Everything you need to know about Forth Valley Food & Drink Festival

From the local producers attending to parking, here's everything you need to know.

By Isla Glen

August 21 2024, 6:00am

Nicola Finney of Collymoon Craft will be showcasing her award-winning gin. Image: Stirling PR

More than 50 producers from across Forth Valley will be taking part in a food and drink extravaganza this weekend.

Forth Valley Food and Drink Festival is returning to the city after a two year break.

Locals can enjoy artisan stalls, pop-up vendors, food trucks, chef demos and more.

Organised by Forth Valley Food and Drink in collaboration with SHS Events, the festival is promising a feast of local talent for Stirling’s 900th anniversary celebrations.

When is the event?

Forth Valley Food & Drink Festival 2024 will take place on Saturday August 24 and runs from 10am-5pm.

What’s on at Forth Valley Food Festival?

The festival has an array of food and drink in store, including freshly baked cakes from Maggie’s Aberfoyle Kitchen to a specially created Stirling 900 craft beer from Allanwater Brewhouse.

Local chefs will be sharing tips and tricks during demonstrations, teaching attendees how to make top dishes at home.

There will be a wide variety of stall holders, offering everything from pickles to sustainable living products, craft gin to handmade ice cream.

Rox Madeira, who will be giving an insight into foraging at the festival. Image: Stirling PR

Are there activities for children?

Forth Valley Food and Drink Festival is a family friendly event with plenty of different events for youngsters to enjoy.

Kids can enjoy making their own pizzas, play giant garden games, pedal on a smoothie bike and take part in a scavenger hunt.

Who are the local producers attending?

Stallholders include:

Milk & Honey
Camphill Blair Drummond
Fletcher’s Restaurant
Fodder + Farm
Ochil Fudge
Maggie’s Aberfoyle Kitchen
The Gate Community Cafe
Loch Lomond Coffee Co.
Allanwater Brewhouse
Weigh Ahead
Movement in Thyme
Collymoon Craft Gin
Coull Beans Coffee
Duncan Family Farms

Tickets

No tickets are required for the event.

Entry is free to the public, so you can save your money for the excellent food and drink on display.

Fodder + Farm’s head chef Lucy Pattinson will bring a fresh batch of homemade pickles to the event. Image: Stirling PR

Parking and how to get there

Forth Valley Food and Drink Festival takes place at Forthside Square, which is beside The Engine Shed.

The nearest car park is Forthside – next to Vue – which is £4 per day.

From Stirling Railway Station and Stirling Bus Station it is a five minute walk via the Forthside Bridge.

What is the weather forecast?

It might be best to bring a raincoat or umbrella as the Met Office is predicting scattered showers, which could be heavy and thundery for a time.

There could be spells of sunshine and temperatures might reach 16°.

How else is Forth Valley Food and Drink celebrating Stirling’s 900th year?

A film series delving into Stirling’s food and drink history has also been launched.

Stirling Makar Laura Fyfe features in the films with a poem celebrating Stirling’s food and drink. Image: Stirling PR

Forth Valley Food Tales covers how a medicinal posset restored Bonnie Prince Charlie’s health at Bannockburn House, the mysterious symbols found on Stirling’s historic pies, the royal connections of Scotland’s smallest whisky distillery and epic feasts at Stirling Castle.

There is also a specially commissioned poem by Stirling Makar Laura Fyfe, as well as a segment on Kippen’s claim to fame as the former home of the world’s largest vine.