Mid-harvest celebration of Wicklow Naturally’s October Feast

Today, Wicklow Naturally members marked October Feast’s halfway point at Kilquade Arboretum (Friday, October 15th, 2021). The month-long festival celebrates Wicklow’s food and drinks story, including farming, foraging, brewing, distilling, and much more.

Wicklow Naturally’s Chairperson, Pamela Walsh, said, “Today, we’re celebrating the mid-harvest of Wicklow Naturally’s October Feast as we continue our focus on Wicklow’s thriving food & drink scene by showcasing our members’ range of products, diverse experiences, and numerous interactive events throughout October.”

“I’m delighted with the reaction so far. It’s great to see festival-goers enjoying our combination of rich in-person events and the convenience of virtual events on offer this year.”

The celebrations aren’t over just yet as there are still 20+ events to enjoy, so why not feed your appetite and fill your calendar with these delicious events… 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.

The full event programme is available on Wicklow Naturally’s event page at https://wicklownaturally.ie/events/.

Here are the top picks from Wicklow Naturally’s October Feast jam-packed programme to tantalise the tastebuds:

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 remaining schedule includes Old MacDonnell’s Farm on October 15th, The Birds and the Teas on October 22nd, and Le Paysan on October 29th.

Enjoy a taste of Wicklow Naturally

Enjoy a taste of Wicklow Naturally as 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 Wicklow Naturally’s bespoke producers’ tours of County Wicklow. There are two remaining tours on offer and include ‘Wicklow Beverage Tour’ where you will learn all about winemaking, brewing, and distilling with an opportunity to taste delicious Wicklow-produced products from Wicklow Way Wines, Wicklow Wolf Brewery, and Powerscourt Distillery on Saturday, October 16th.

The final tour takes guests on a trip to ‘West Wicklow Food Producers’ and includes visits to BallyHubbock Farm, Daisy Cottage Farm, and Russborough House on Saturday, October 30th.

You can book a tour for an exclusive promotional price of €50 by emailing: chefpaulthemysticcelt@gmail.com or calling +353 87 6998103.

Forage for tasty ingredients

Wicklow Naturally’s 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? Why not join a Wicklow Naturally network member 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.

Live Cookery Demonstration at Wicklow Town library

Have you tasted a Wicklow Naturally signature dish yet? Well, on Tuesday 26th October at 6 pm there is a special live cookery demo with chef Tadgh Byrne. This event will take place on the exhibition level of the new Wicklow Town library. Register for free at https://wicklownaturally.ie/events/culinary-library-talk-on-october-26th/.

Oíche Shamhna Cocktail Night

Powerscourt Distillery Ltd presents Oíche Shamhna 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’ products, including Kilmullen Farm’s Apple Juice, Olly’s Farm Honey, and Wicklow Way Wines.

Wicklow Naturally Extravaganza

Head to the Market Square in Wicklow Town for a festival of hearty soul food, wine, beer, and music. The event will be showcasing the very best of Wicklow’s produce together with 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 23rd.

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, 6th Class and Transition Year students in County Wicklow have been asked to participate in a student challenge competition and suggest innovative solutions to food waste. Entries can be submitted here: https://wicklownaturally.ie/events/october-feast-schools-competition-2021/.

“Why not explore, discover and get involved in the many events still to come across County Wicklow this October by heading over to https://wicklownaturally.ie/octoberfeast21/,” concluded Pamela.

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.

Be sure to stay up to date with the latest event news by following Wicklow Naturally on social media: https://www.facebook.com/WicklowNaturally/, https://twitter.com/WicklowNatural1, or https://www.instagram.com/wicklownaturally/.

Event hashtags  

Our event hashtags are: #OctoberFeast, #FeedYourAppetite and #WicklowNaturally.

October Feast

October Feast is about telling the story of Wicklow Naturally’s members, promoting sustainability messages, letting people know what we do, and showcasing the beautiful food and drink products from County Wicklow.

October Feast is supported by Wicklow County Council, County Wicklow Partnership, LEADER Programme, Wicklow Local Enterprise Office, and Fáilte Ireland.

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.