Without doubt Emsworth is the South Coast’s best kept culinary secret. This historic, picturesque, old fishing village set on the beautiful Chichester Harbour between Portsmouth and Chichester probably has more quality restaurants and public houses, not to mention independent food retailers, per square mile than any other comparable village in England.

It is thus the perfect setting for what has now become the region’s leading Food Festival. Taking place over three days of a weekend in September each year, this is an event that no food lover could fail to enjoy.  Whether it’s fresh oysters on the fishing quay, lunch or dinner in one of the village’s restaurants, or purely strolling through.

Looking forward to 2009....................

..............................."and now for something completely different”

The organising committee is hard at work preparing for 2009. Building on the success of the festival in previous years we are developing a completely different “shape” to our food event for the future which could include:

• a festival food theme
• fewer exhibitors selling only the highest quality of food and food related products
• “show casing” Emsworth as a place to visit and enjoy
• educating our public about developments the best in British food
• developing our popular competitions for young chefs and school pupils.

Expect a new, exciting and challenging experience which will maintain The Emsworth Food Festival’s pre-eminent position amongst British Food Events so that this will continue to be THE food festival that you really should not miss.

Looking back to the 2007 Festival ........

With about 55,000  visitors and  120 exhibitors, the sun shone and visitors to the festival together with Emsworth residents had a wonderful opportunity to sample, purchase and enjoy a fantastic range of foods, wines and beers.  With pretty much continuous free entertainment the village had a carnival atmosphere. Over £1,000 was raised for our two local hospices through the raffle to set the fireworks off on Friday evening and we concluded on Sunday afternoon with the singing of nostalgic and patriotic  songs accompanied by in the square. Come back in 2009 and we will do it all again!