Crowds flock to city centre for York Food and Drink Festival

Traders have lined Parliament Street which was packed with shoppers this afternoon (Saturday, September 21).

Events are also taking place in Museum Gardens and St Crux Hall for the York Food and Drink Festival, which runs until Sunday, September 29.

Sam and Lori Des-Georgs were sampling the food on offer from the stalls in Parliament Street.

Lori and Sam Des-Georgs, left, with Louise Kelly and Ben Willcocks , right (Image: Dylan Connell)

They’re on holiday in York from New Mexico in the USA, having previously visited Ireland with plans to travel to Bath and London next.

“It’s going to be hard to go back,” Sam said.

“We’re having a great time,” added Lori. “The market is awesome.”

Sweet treats at the York Food and Drink Festival (Image: Dylan Connell)

Sat across from them were Ben Willcocks and Louise Kelly.

The graduates were visiting York from Leeds and admitted that they had stumbled into the food festival unexpectedly.

Italian dishes being made at the Pelegrini stall in Parliament Street (Image: Dylan Connell)

“It’s nice, we didn’t know it was going to be here,” explained Ben. “It’s good to see a wide variety of food on offer.”

“I can’t believe how busy it is,” added Louise.

Mandy Crump, Jackie O’Meara, and Claire Smalley at the York Food and Drink Festival (Image: Dylan Connell) Claire Smalley, Jackie O’Meara, and Mandy Crump were also visiting York when they made a stop at the festival.

“I think York does stuff like this well,” said Jackie, from Liverpool, who also praised the city’s Christmas market.

Traders on festival two days in

Traders had mixed reviews of how the festival was going two days in.

“It’s quieter than last year but it is what it is,” said Chris Chappill, from the Undairy Farm stall in Parliament Street which sells dairy free chocolate.

Chris and Laura Chappill at the Undairy Farm stall in Parliament Street (Image: Dylan Connell) He’s originally from Acomb but moved to Lincolnshire to develop the business with his wife Laura.

Chris said that he can’t eat dairy which inspired the venture.

“Everything I tried without dairy just tasted awful,” he explained.

Peter Allanson from Shire Honey and Celtic Mead at the festival (Image: Dylan Connell) Mead seller Peter Allanson, meanwhile, said: “It’s a bit steadier, but we’re only two days in. You can’t really judge something until it’s finished.”

He owns the Shire Honey and Celtic Mead, based in Copmanthorpe, and has been taking part in the festival for the past 10 years.

Mead for sale at the festival by Shire Honey and Celtic Mead (Image: Dylan Connell) Peter said he keeps the bees, makes the honey, then makes the mead, adding: “I’m living the dream.

“It’s a niche market. It’s 50/50 if people like it or not. I sell what I sell.”

Ash Valley from O'Donnell Moonshine at the York festival (Image: Dylan Connell) Ash Valley was selling ‘moonshine’ at the festival made by Manchester-based company O’Donnell Moonshine.

“I’m essentially a modern day bootlegger,” he joked.

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The drink is a wheat-based liquor inspired by its Prohibition era namesake, made illegally during the 1920s.

Sometimes these traditional drinks included methanol, which resulted in people going blind after consuming it.

Liquors by O’Donnell Moonshine at the stall in Parliament Street (Image: Dylan Connell)

Ash said customers in York have reminded him of this, explaining that he hopes to give moonshine a better name.

What would he say to someone wanting to try it? “You wouldn’t regret it, that’s for sure.”