From the Jurassic Coast to the rolling hills of the Blackdowns, East Devon is about to put its food and drink scene firmly on the map. The Taste East Devon Festival returns from 12–20 September 2026, bringing nine days of tastings, feasts, demonstrations and vineyard tours to producers’ venues across the region.
Now in its sixth year, the festival unites East Devon’s food and drink businesses under one banner, inviting visitors to eat, drink and explore their way through some of England’s most photogenic countryside, all while meeting the people who grow, catch, brew and cook it.
Set against a backdrop of dramatic red cliffs, ancient woodland and two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Taste East Devon isn’t your average food festival. Every event takes place on location, in vineyards, farm kitchens, coastal restaurants and working producers’ sites, so visitors don’t just taste the region, they experience it.
The nine-day programme spans:
● Vineyard tours and wine tastings at boutique vineyards including Michelin starred Lympstone Manor
● Field-to-fork feasts and safari – learn about regenerative farming and taste the results
● Demonstrations and workshops including Deer management and butchery
● Coffee tasting and cheese-and-wine pairings
● Traditional afternoon tea and apple pressing
● Specialty menus from award winning restaurants
● Music nights, pizza nights, cocktails shaken by the sea and more
Whether it’s a passionate foodie, a weekend cook, or someone who just enjoys a good meal with a view, the festival is built to welcome all comers, and to turn a single day out into a proper short break.
Organisers are encouraging visitors to make a mini break of it: breakfast by the sea, an afternoon on the South West Coast Path or exploring independent shops, then an evening built around the freshest ingredients East Devon has to offer. Stay in one of East Devon’s boutique hotels or cottages and enjoy it all again the following day.
Councillor Nick Hookway, East Devon District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Culture, Leisure, Sport and Tourism, said: “EDDC is delighted to sponsor and support Taste East Devon Festival; it showcases the very best of our vibrant hospitality sector across this beautiful part of Devon. With local businesses and businesses with a significant presence in East Devon getting behind this unique food festival, we’re delighted to say we’re all working together to raise the profile of East Devon’s dynamic food scene.”
East Devon has quietly built a food and drink scene that punches well above its weight: award-winning producers, coastal restaurants and farm-to-table venues within easy reach of each other, wrapped in some of the country’s most striking scenery. Taste East Devon Festival exists to put that scene on the map, one event at a time. Councillor Hookway’s message is echoed by the festival’s organisers: this isn’t a one-off day trip destination, it’s a place worth lingering in, for the food, the coastline and the welcome.
Taste East Devon Festival takes place from 12–20 September 2026 with events across East Devon, from Exmouth to Axminster. For the full events programme and booking information, visit www.tasteeastdevonfest.co.uk
