Rhubarb Festival full line-up announced

The 11th annual Festival of Food, Drink and Rhubarb starts this Friday, and the full line up has been announced.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/YWNG - 20/02/16 - Press - Wakefield Rhubarb Festival 2016 - Wakefield, England - Ben & Ashley McCarthy put on a cooking demonstration at the Wakefield rhubarb festival.Picture by Allan McKenzie/YWNG - 20/02/16 - Press - Wakefield Rhubarb Festival 2016 - Wakefield, England - Ben & Ashley McCarthy put on a cooking demonstration at the Wakefield rhubarb festival.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/YWNG - 20/02/16 - Press - Wakefield Rhubarb Festival 2016 - Wakefield, England - Ben & Ashley McCarthy put on a cooking demonstration at the Wakefield rhubarb festival.

The three-day festival, from Friday to Sunday, is jam packed with entertainment, the region’s tastiest food and most talented chefs.

There will be street food, a market with more than 40 stalls including a variety of rhubarb produce, street entertainment including shopping trolley dance team ‘Granny Turismo’, and the festival’s own Dame Ruby Rhubarb.

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Free cookery demonstrations are taking place throughout the weekend with Michelin award winning celebrity chef, Jean-Christophe Novelli taking to the stage on Saturday, February 18, 12.30pm and 2.30pm.

Celebrity chef, Jean-Christophe Novelli, is  taking to the stage on Saturday February 18, 12.30pm and 2.30pm.Celebrity chef, Jean-Christophe Novelli, is  taking to the stage on Saturday February 18, 12.30pm and 2.30pm.
Celebrity chef, Jean-Christophe Novelli, is taking to the stage on Saturday February 18, 12.30pm and 2.30pm.

Other highlights in the demonstration tent include TV chef Rachel Green on Friday, February 17 at 10.30 am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm and Farmer Copley’s Head Chef, Carl Frost, on Friday at 12.30pm.

The festival also welcomes other local top chefs including Liam Duffy from Iris, Lee Wilkinson from Deli Central and David Greenwood-Haigh from Coeur De Xocolat.

The Famous Ginger Badger and Wakefield Beer Exchange are also taking part, and many more.

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Children’s cookery sessions are also taking place on Sunday, 11am to 1pm, where exploding rockets and erupting jelly will be all part of the foodie fun.

Celebrity chef, Jean-Christophe Novelli, is  taking to the stage on Saturday February 18, 12.30pm and 2.30pm.Celebrity chef, Jean-Christophe Novelli, is  taking to the stage on Saturday February 18, 12.30pm and 2.30pm.
Celebrity chef, Jean-Christophe Novelli, is taking to the stage on Saturday February 18, 12.30pm and 2.30pm.

Coun Les Shaw, cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport, said: “The popular three day festival showcases some of the region’s tastiest foods and most talented chefs from across the country, with cookery demonstrations, street food, and a market combined with family-friendly street entertainment.

“We look forward to welcoming many visitors to the city centre this weekend to enjoy our unique festival and to see what Wakefield has to offer.”

In the family fun zone, sponsored by Manning Stainton, children can also get their hands dirty and learn how to grow their own plants and vegetables in the ‘Grow Your Own’ workshops taking place throughout the three day festival.

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They will also get to take home their own little radish pack to watch their seedlings flourish at home.

Other entertainment includes face painting, ‘make your own chef hat’ sessions and a special rhubarb exhibition at Wakefield Museum with rhubarb craft activities on the Friday and Saturday, 12noon - 3pm. There will also be children’s activities taking place at Wakefield Library on the Saturday from 9am until 4pm.

Visitors can share their photos from the event using #RhubarbFest on Twitter, or on the festival’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/rhubarbfestival

To keep up to date with information about this year’s festival, visit www.experiencewakefield.co.uk/rhubarb

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