Sheffield Food Festival to return - with new management

The celebration of the city’s independent food scene has been held for six years and was previously organised by Sheffield Hallam University’s Business School.

But in April the Eat Sheffield awards were called off after chef and Hallam’s regional engagement officer Niki Baker, who managed both the awards and the food festival, left to concentrate on her other business interests.

Now organisation Events Collective - which has been part of the festival team for the last five years - will be taking on the co-ordination of the whole event in its seventh year next May.

Bob Worm, from Events Collective said: “I am over the moon that our role with Sheffield Food Festival is growing. “We love delivering this event and there is no doubt it is one of the highlights of our calendar.

“I am looking forward to helping the festival grow from strength to strength.”

The festival has been held in the Peace Gardens and surrounding areas, with almost 30,000 said to have attended last year.

It has traditionally included cooking demonstrations, a beer tent and a market - and even a pop up farm.

Events Collective is planning to add local buskers and acoustic acts to the agenda in future.

The next festival will be on Saturday May 27 until Monday May 29.

Sheffield Business School is to ‘support’ the new organisers during the transition.

Kevin Nield, from the business school, said: “We have thoroughly enjoyed delivering Sheffield Food Festival for the last three years, during which time the event has grown in popularity and size.

“We have worked closely with Sheffield Council to find a new partner and are pleased that Events Collective will be taking the food festival forward to ensure it remains a highlight on the city’s cultural calendar.

“We will support them as appropriate to ensure a smooth transition.”

Sheffield Council, which has been involved with organising the festival in the past, released details of the new organisers.

Coun Mary Lea, cabinet member for culture , added: “I am delighted to see this ever-popular celebration of Sheffield’s fine food and drink culture return for a seventh year, and would like to welcome Events Collective to their new role.

“Once again, Sheffield Food Festival is set to tickle the tastebuds of tens of thousands of people and showcase the very best that our city has to offer when it comes to produce, ales, fine dining, street food, baking and cookery.”

For more information about what is planned for the festival visit www.foodfestivalevents.co.uk.