St Ives Food & Drink Festival, the UK’s only food festival on the beach, is set to return for 2025 from May 16-18th – offering a refreshed programme of celebrations hosted on Porthminster Beach.
The beloved free-to-attend three-day festival, a staple in Cornwall’s event calendar, attracts thousands of visitors and supports the local economy. Following a fallow year (2024), the celebrations are back with a new team at the helm and a refreshed offering to tuck into.
Bringing together some of the biggest names in the culinary world, the 2025 festival is set to also introduce much more music, and a host of new additions designed to satisfy the senses and keep the whole family entertained.
Get set for an all-star foodie line-up, as the Chef’s Fire Pit welcomes demonstrations from some of the finest chef’s the UK has to offer – including Ashley Palmer-Watts, co-founder of one of the UK’s biggest culinary success stories in 2024, The Devonshire, Soho; Tom Brown of the seafood sensation Pearly Queen in Shoreditch; food writer and veg grower Kathy Slack and Cornwall’s own Jude Kereama, of Kota & Kota Kai, Dorian Janmaat of Ardor, a newly established gem in St Ives, and Ben Prior of Porthminster Beach Café. Plus, lots more still to come!
In an exciting new addition, the live music programme is turning up a notch – Introducing the Sunset Sessions.
These are ticketed live music evenings, in a festival first, to offer bigger name acts plus support every night. Early Bird tickets are now available, and the Sunset Session headliners are:
Norman Jay MBE (Friday 16th May)
Norman Jay is unquestionably one of the most respected and popular DJs in the world today. Co-founder of the legendary Good Times Sound System and London dance music station KISS FM, Jay fostered the ‘Rare Groove’ scene pushing the boundaries of the UK’s emerging club culture. Awarded an MBE for services to deejaying and
music, in 2017 he released ‘Mister Good Times’ capturing the true spirit of Good Times and is currently taking his legendary Good Times party to selected venues around the UK.
Ferris & Sylvester (Saturday 17th May)
Ferris & Sylvester are a husband-and-wife duo from England. For the last eight years, the pair have written, recorded and performed music together and built an ever-growing and fiercely loyal fanbase. Their second studio album, ‘Otherness’ was released in March 2024 through the duo’s own label Archtop Records and made the top 10 in both the Americana and Folk Official Charts.
The Scribes (Sunday 18th May)
The Scribes are a multi-award-winning hip-hop act from Bristol whose unique talents have combined to make a trademark sound quite unlike any other, featuring a seamless blend of live instrumentation and sampling set against a backdrop of head nodding boom bap breaks. Joining an incredible roster including Snoop Dogg, Nas, DJ Premier, Redman, Cardi B and Busta Rhymes, the group are among the most talented artists on the scene today, with a genuinely unique sound backed up by a polished and proven live show that simply must be seen to be believed.
In addition, 2025 is set to welcome a second stage and host a variety of local and up and coming musical talent; plus, a new wellness offering (think sea view saunas and wood fired hot tubs) and enhanced family activities – further announcements to follow very soon.
To stay up to date with the latest festival news or to purchase Sunset Session tickets, please visit stivesfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk and join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.
