Festival relishes generous helping of support

Eden Food & Farming Festival rustled up a serving of thanks for its funders this week, including Pride in Penrith Lottery. Eden District Council, Penrith Business Improvement District and the lottery all tasted the appreciation of the festival committee, for their commitment to making the summer program possible.

“As a community-run festival, we simply couldn’t offer such an extensive selection of events without the help and support of our funders,” said Peter Ward, chair of festival organiser Penrith Partnership. “Not only have Pride in Penrith Lottery, EDC and Penrith given us financial support but they have also played an active part throughout the planning of the festival, with all three represented on the committee. We’re particularly grateful to them given the challenge of attracting substantial corporate sponsorship in this current economic climate.”

The festival begins with the ever-popular Penrith on a Plate event on Saturday 19 July and ends with the 180th Penrith Show, with a wide selection of free events in between, which opened for booking last week.

“Just days after launching details of our events program, we’re already seeing people reserve their free places,” Peter said. “It’s exciting to see that there’s an appetite for our tasty additions to the district’s social calendar! We hope people will take away a renewed appreciation of our superb produce after seeing first hand where their food comes from and meeting the people involved in producing it.”

The committee are now filling the last few spaces for stalls at Penrith on a Plate, including a tasty opportunity for one local caterer to take the last remaining hot-food spot.

“We’d also like to hear from any restaurants or cafes interested in offering a special menu of local produce at any point during festival week,” Peter said. “We’ll promote them free in our programme, if they’re quick, or on the festival website and social media.”

Booking information for festival events and stalls is available at www.edenfoodfestival.org or call 017683 51699