The 6th edition of the Taste East Devon Festival took place from 12th – 20th September with a packed calendar of events. The celebration food and drink festival started with a buzzing family friendly weekend, with a free open day and milling demonstration at the 100 year old Otterton Mill. This was followed by the inaugural Cranbrook Gate to Plate food market. Both had record numbers attending and showed these events to be the beating heart of their communities. The Festival closed with another bumper weekend of family activities, celebrating Devon’s apple heritage at The Big Pick family day, and the Farm2 Fork safari that demonstrates the regenerative farming practices of this family run Budleigh Salterton farm. In between these events were unique feasts, tours, tastings, learning experiences and live music.
Every year the Festival sees a different mix of participating businesses and this year was no exception. Two new events proved very popular and hope to become staples on the calendar. Inaugural event such as Cranbrook Gate to Plate are an excellent way to gather everyone in a community, meet local producers and take home purchases to share with friends and family. Clinton Estates also got involved with their Deer Management and Butchery demonstration. This sold out event was a whistle stop tour through a managed woods with head gamekeeper Tom Garner, then it was back to the larder to watch Tom butcher a deer and talk about how this healthy and environmentally sustainable meat is an increasingly popular option for the dining table.
Quotes from multiple voices
- “Honestly, it was the most wholesome event I’ve taken my family too and they had a blast”
- “What an excellent night. Drinking and eating the best of the West’s products. We are so fortunate to live in an area that has such a diverse range of products available.”
- “This was a fabulous event”
- “In short, it was an excellent event – I would rate it as a 10”
Festival founder Ruud Jensen Venneboer: “People working in hospitality often forget to celebrate all the great times they help facilitate for so many people. What Taste East Devon does is put celebration at the heart of what we do; celebrate all the great food and drink this beautiful region has to offer. We enjoy ourselves by seeing you have a great time. Win win!”
From the feedback gathering by the Taste East Devon team over 50% of visitors had not been to that business or event before. And success follows because attendees said they would very likely recommend the venue or event they attended to friends. 96% thought the events were good or excellent value for money. The diverse calendar of events ensured that there really was an event for all ages and all pockets.
This year’s festival saw over 70 daily events takes place, ranging from a special dish with East Devon ingredients, to celebrations of honey and heritage at The Old Bakery in Branscombe. Their Sunday Meet the Beekeepers Day coincided with the National Trust Heritage day at the Mill and the forge. Other festivals and events took place during the same weeks, such as the Devon Open Studios and the Sidmouth Walking Festival, showing that East Devon is a September destination for all.
The Taste East Devon Festival is funded in the main by sponsorship, raised by the team from locally based business. For 2026 many thanks goes to NFU Mutual Exeter, Tiverton and South Molton, SunGift Solar, Coreus, Clockwork Marketing, and Goosemoor Foodservice. Without this sponsorship the Festival simply couldn’t happen. East Devon District Council also supported the event by way of the Festivals Fund, and the Taste East Devon team put that funding to work by showcasing the festival to audiences beyond the South West. Generous support from Mazzard Farm Holiday Cottages and Darts Farm facilitated a prize winner getting to visit East Devon for the first time and take part in the Festival.
The festival lit up social media feeds, and that competition attracted 2.5k entries. The TEDF social accounts got over 200k views. Organisers are thrilled with these stats as it puts East Devon on the map as a food and drink destination. One of the main aims of the Festival is to attract visitors to the region outside the peak summer holidays, to show off the unique character of the independent producers and share their passion for producing excellent quality food and drink. Whether they do so through historic methods or modern practices, what so many of the Festival’s participating businesses have in common is the commitment to sustainability and regenerative processes. As stewards of land and heritage, these independent businesses consistently demonstrate that East Devon delivers as a community of independent businesses.
Visit www.tasteeastdevon.co.uk to find out more.
(Photos – all copyright belongs to DG Photography).
