Luckily we had free tickets, half the stalls had packed up early-there was hardly anyone there, no parking for visitors and those who had chanced their arm parking around South Park had yellow tickets... See more
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Paid £50 for 2 tickets with high hopes from the adverts. There is more food at a regular fair! Half of the stalls are just people advertising pet food. Never thought we’d leave a food festi... See more
We went to the St Albans foodies festival on both Sat and Sunday and had a fabulous time! The great weather helped of course but we found the music on both days fantastic and plenty of amazing food... See more
Company replied
We had a great time at the food festival in St Albans, the range of food available was phenomenal! I just wanted to try it all, savoury and sweet. I tried the Mexican which was delish and the make y... See more
Company details
Written by the company
The UK’s biggest celebration of food and drink! Taste, explore, and experience amazing food and drinks, watch live cookery demos from local talent to MasterChef and Bake Off Champions, attend masterclasses and soak up the festival atmosphere. Chart topping Headliners to finish the day! Perfect for families, friends, and anyone who loves great food, music and commuity.
Contact info
United Kingdom
- 07841 978442
- jo@foodiesfestival.com
- foodiesfestival.com
2.6
Poor
52 reviews
No recent history of asking for reviews
This company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative
Replied to 58% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 1 month
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What a disappointment
I had been planning to visit Foodies Festival for two years, expecting something completely different from what I actually experienced.
I thought the event would mainly be about food, but most of the stalls seemed to focus on alcohol — especially strong spirits like vodka and rum. The atmosphere was disappointing: lots of drunk, sweaty, rude people, and in many cases not very pleasant smells either.
The food itself was very average. For example, the tacos we ordered were honestly disappointing — and I can confidently say I could make better ones myself.
Another major issue was the organisation and signage. There were absolutely no clear directions showing where to go or how to reach the entrance. The only reason we eventually found it was because we already knew it was somewhere in Syon Park. Even then, we had to walk around the park before finally locating the entrance because there wasn’t a single visible sign.
Today there was also a food street market in Chiswick, and I genuinely regret not going there instead. Not only is there no entrance fee, but the food is much better, it’s easier to access, and you don’t have to spend the day surrounded by drunk, sweaty parents letting their children do absolutely whatever they want.
Overall, this was a very disappointing experience and definitely not what I expected from a festival supposedly focused on food.
May 24, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're sorry to hear that the festival did not meet the expectations you had built up over the last two years.
Foodies Festival is designed to celebrate food, drink and live entertainment, bringing together a wide range of street food vendors, artisan producers, chefs, tasting experiences and live music. Alongside the food and drink traders, tickets also included access to over 50 live cooking demonstrations, more than 20 complimentary tastings, 20 live bands performing across the weekend, and opportunities to meet and learn from our guest chefs.
We're sorry to hear that you experienced difficulties locating the entrance. Visitor signage is provided throughout the venue, but we appreciate your comments and will review all feedback regarding wayfinding and accessibility with our event team.
We understand that every visitor's experience is different, and we're disappointed that the atmosphere and food offering did not align with what you were hoping for. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts, as feedback helps us continue to improve future events.
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Don't Expect Much
Just went to the version in Syon Park, Brentford. A farmer's market would be a better option for "foodies", this was overpriced food trucks with mostly rubbish food.
A few good vendors but definitely not worth the entry price. Go to one of the big gardening events or a real ale event for better value, better organisation and same food.
After looking online I see a lot of reviews mentioning never getting the goodie bag they bought, had the same experience - apparently they had "issues" and wouldn't do refunds.
May 23, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're sorry to hear that you felt the festival did not offer the value or experience you were hoping for.
Foodies Festival is designed to bring together a wide range of street food vendors, artisan producers, live chef demonstrations, tasting experiences and entertainment across the weekend. Tickets also included access to over 50 live food and drink demonstrations, more than 20 complimentary tastings, 20 live bands and the opportunity to meet and learn from our guest chefs.
We're pleased to hear that you did enjoy some of the vendors, but we're sorry that the overall food offering and organisation did not meet your expectations.
Regarding the goodie bag, we're sorry to hear this was your experience. If you purchased one and did not receive it, please drop me an email jo@foodiesfestival.com along with your booking details so we can look into this for you.
Thank you again for your feedback. We’ll take your comments on board as we continue to review and improve future events.
Had a great time
Had a great time. Loads of cool stalls. Plenty of good food and drinks. Music was good. Fun day for all.
May 4, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you so much! Glad you had a great time!
Such a lot of fun and so much to do and…
Such a lot of fun and so much to do and choose from. It's such a happy day out, especially when the sun is shining!
May 2, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you so much! Glad you had a great time!
We had such a great weekend
We had such a great weekend! Brighton foodies had a huge array of food and drink. Foodie you can eat there and bits you can take away too. Staff are friendly and the vibe is great for families. Great music acts too.
May 2, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you so much! Glad you had a great time!
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Waste of time and money
Brighton foodies festival in Preston park, unless you only wanted to drink and watch rubbish bands, there’s not much else on offer. Stalls are poor, only so much garbage food you can eat (rip off too), in and out in 10 minutes at a push. Tickets not worth any money!
Should be re branded to “drinkies”
May 3, 2026
Unprompted review
Welcoming friendly staff at the gate
Welcoming friendly staff at the gate. My son wants to be a chef and he loved one of the classes held by a master chef contender and spoke to him afterwards. Lovely little event in Cambridge didn’t stay for the bands as it started to really rain, but no one can control the weather. Looking forward to seeing scouting for girls this year as we love them as a family.
July 6, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you so much! Glad you had a great time! Sorry about the weather last year! :)
Avoid This Scam of a Festival
I attended the Foodies Festival in Chelmsford and it was, without exaggeration, one of the worst event experiences I’ve ever had.
The problems started immediately. The staff at the entrance were rude, unwelcoming, and clearly uninterested in helping anyone. I’d paid extra for add‑ons, only to realise they weren’t even checking tickets — meaning everyone could access the “extras” I’d paid for. Completely pointless.
The food and drink prices were outrageous. £20 for a poutine and £6 for an iced drink that was basically a cup of ice with a tiny splash of liquid. After that, I couldn’t justify spending more, so I tried to find the water station. The staff kept pointing me in random directions — “behind the vans,” “over there somewhere” — and refused to actually show me where it was. They just didn’t want to do anything.
The silent disco was painfully awkward. Everyone left after about three minutes, which explains why it was so empty. Calling it entertainment is generous.
But the biggest scam was the pit ticket. I paid extra — more than the cost of the main ticket itself — only to discover there was no pit at all. No barricades, no guards, no designated area. Early arrivals just stood at the front of the stage like any normal event. So what exactly did I pay for?
I tried contacting them repeatedly — messages, emails, everything. No replies. Not for days, not for weeks, but for months. I eventually had to file a chargeback with my credit card company before they finally responded.
This festival is disorganised, overpriced, and borderline deceptive. Save your money and avoid this scam.
June 22, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you for sharing your feedback. I’m genuinely sorry to hear about your experience at Foodies Festival Chelmsford
I’m new to the team and currently reviewing feedback from recent events to better understand where improvements may be needed. Your comments are appreciated and are exactly the kind of issues we want to help address going forward.
I’d really appreciate the opportunity to look into your experience in more detail. If you’re willing, please email me directly at jo@foodiesfestival.com so I can properly review what happened and see how we can put this right.
Thank you again for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. It’s genuinely helpful as we work to improve.
Same as last year
Same as last year, unless you only wanted to drink and watch mediocre bands, there was not much else on offer. Stalls were poor, only so much street food you can eat (overpriced too), in and out in 10 minutes at a push. Tickets not worth the money!
August 15, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you for sharing your feedback. I’m sorry to hear that the event didn’t feel worth the ticket price for you, and that it came across as repetitive compared to previous years.
I’m new to the team and am currently reviewing feedback like yours to better understand where the festival experience may be useful to evolve - particularly around the variety of attractions, value for money, and overall balance beyond food and drink. Your comments about the stalls and pricing are noted and have been shared internally as part of that review.
If you’d be open to it, I’d really appreciate the chance to hear more about what you felt was missing. Please feel free to email me directly at jo@foodiesfestival.com - Feedback like this is genuinely helpful as we plan future events.
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Tasting cancelled and no refund
Booked tickets for tasting, the schedule disappeared from the website. I was ignored and didn't get my money back. I would not describe the event as a food festival.
June 28, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you for raising this -I’m very sorry to hear about your experience, particularly regarding the tasting tickets and the lack of response you received.
The situation you’ve described is not something we pride ourselves in and I understand how frustrating it must have been to book a specific experience, see the schedule change, and then feel ignored when trying to resolve it.
I’m new to the team and I'd really appreciate the opportunity to review your booking properly and address this directly. Please email jo@foodiesfestival.com - thank you.
Disgraceful customer service!
Disgraceful customer service!
I booked a cooking class - Chef didn't turn up (fair enough, these things happen) but I'm still waiting for a refund now several months later (despite numerous calls/chasers). This is unacceptable.
August 30, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you for raising this -I’m very sorry to hear about your experience.
I’m new to the team and I'd really appreciate the opportunity to review your booking properly and address this directly. Please email jo@foodiesfestival.com - thank you.
Lovely events but appalling email management
Lovely festivals but appalling email management.
Bought refund protection and couldn't attend a cookery class. The lady on the desk at the festival said to email: customerservice at foodies.com... bounced
As did customerservices at foodies.com
Emailed see tickets... who fobbed me off to Foodies.
Emailed enquiries@... no acknowledgement or reply.
Emailed admin@... no acknowledgement or reply.
Went nuclear and emailed every email I could.
Eventually their CEO came back... sent two emails and passed the buck to See Tickets...
... who passed the buck back to Foodies.
No reply this time from any of them + See Tickets said it wasn't them but Foodies had to authorise.
Miffed with both, but Foodies is worse as most of the emails never bother replying. Plus a CEO who cannot take ownership through to completion or have a staff who can do it... deserves one star reviews until they sort it out.
Five stars for 10 years... but not any more. Fix it for everyone and five stars returns. 🤷
September 11, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you for explaining what happened - I’m really sorry for the frustration this caused. I’m new to the team and this isn’t the experience we want anyone to have, especially a long-standing supporter of Foodies.
I’d really appreciate the chance to look into this personally and help get it resolved. If you’re willing, could you please email me at jo@foodiesfestival.com and mention this review? I’ll make sure it’s followed up properly.
Thank you again for raising this.
Foodies Festival I still have yet to be…
Foodies Festival I still have yet to be paid for my days work in Nottingham. This is extremely frustrating and it isn’t something that you expect from a reputable company. I will be contacting ACAS and citizens advice this week if I am not paid immediately. You said it would be Friday 11/07. It wasn’t. You won’t get away with wasting 10 hours of my time in which I worked extremely hard to keep your drinks theatre working as I’m almost certain without the help your shows would have crumbled, I was commended by Joe for running the shows well. I’m 34 years old, not some teenager you can palm off with emails. Pay me before I contact the above agencies (with whom I have experience dealing with) because of companies like “foodies festival”.
June 29, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
I’m really sorry this is still unresolved - I completely understand how frustrating this is, and you’re right to expect to be paid promptly for the work you did and I’m sorry for the stress it’s caused.
I’m new to the team and am currently picking up outstanding issues like this to make sure they’re properly closed off. I’d really appreciate the chance to look into this personally and help get it sorted as quickly as possible.
If you could please email me directly at jo@foodiesfestival.com and I’ll follow this up as a priority and come back to you as soon as I can.
Thank you for raising this and for the work you put in on the day - it’s genuinely appreciated, and I want to make sure this is resolved properly.
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Don't Pay for This
Attended the Foodies Festival in Hylands, Chelmsford. Not told in advance that we would need to pay an additional £6 to park. No directions from the parking to the event - just had to follow the noise. Low quality stands. Goody bag consisted on peanut butter and adverts.
May 24, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback - we’re really sorry to hear the event didn’t fully meet expectations.
Just to clarify on the parking, this is managed independently by the venue, so the charge itself isn’t set by us. That said, we completely appreciate that clearer advance communication and better on-site directions would have made the arrival experience much smoother, and that feedback is noted.
We’re also sorry to hear you felt disappointed with some of the stands and the goody bag. We’re always reviewing the mix of what’s included and comments like yours genuinely help us improve future events.
Thank you again for coming along and for letting us know where we can do better - it’s appreciated.
Well that was disappointing
Well that was disappointing. We spent nearly £100 on tickets for Saturday at Wollaton Park. On arrival we had to pay a further £6 for parking, then when we got there we were told tickets were available for free as they hadn't sold enough and were given 4 more. Frustrating to say the least.
When we got in there was little shade and no clean water taps. The loos were poorly maintained with no paper in most. The food stands confirmed they had to raise their prices on the Saturday as the Friday was so poorly attended and they had to pay so much to be there - the cheapest option for me was a samosa at £8.
We've been to plenty of other food festivals and most are much better.
June 28, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback - I’m really sorry to hear how disappointing your visit to Wollaton Park was, particularly given the cost of the day. I completely understand how frustrating that experience must have been.
Just to clarify one point you mentioned, we don’t give away tickets simply because an event hasn’t sold out. Occasionally we do have a small number of complimentary tickets left over from specific schemes or partner offers (such as NHS or Blue Light deals), and these may be allocated on the day, which can understandably look confusing from the outside. We appreciate how this may have felt frustrating, especially for guests who paid in advance.
Parking charges at Wollaton Park are set by the venue rather than ourselves, though we recognise this still adds to the overall cost of attending.
We’re also sorry to hear about the lack of shade, issues with toilet facilities, and access to drinking water. These are important points and have been shared with both the venue and our operations team for review.
In terms of food pricing, our traders are independent businesses and set their own prices, but we do take feedback seriously and review trader mix and overall value after each event.
Thank you for being honest with us - feedback like this genuinely helps us improve future events, and I’m sorry we didn’t meet expectations on this occasion.
GUILDFORD FESTIVAL
HAD 2 DAYS AT GUILDFORD FOOD FESTIVAL WET DAY ON SATURDAY BUT GOOD MUSIC ON SUNDAY VERY HOT DAY ALL THE BAND'S
THE IBIZA BAND
BLUE
WAS AMAZING
THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING WEEKEND SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT YEAR
June 8, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you so much for your lovely review!
Waste of time and money
Waste of time and money! Paid £25 each for tickets and also £6 for parking- Guildford one. We weren’t interested in staying for the music in the evening so had planned to just go for the day anyway. Walked around for about 15 minutes and then bought lunch and went home!
There was hardly anything there especially to warrant the ticket price. We walked round everything in such a short space of time there wasn’t anything else to look at. Disappointed as should have gone to Ardingly south of England show instead as we normally do but though we’d try something different. Never again!
June 7, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you for sharing your feedback - I’m really sorry to hear that your visit to Guildford was disappointing. I completely understand how frustrating it must have felt to pay for tickets and parking and then feel there wasn’t enough to see or do.
Just to clarify, parking charges are set by the venue rather than by us, but we do appreciate that it adds to the overall cost and affects the experience.
We also take on board your comments about the range of stands and activities. Feedback like yours is really valuable as we review trader mix and overall event layout for future festivals, so we can make improvements and ensure guests feel there’s more to explore.
I’m sorry that we didn’t meet your expectations this time, and we genuinely appreciate you giving us a try. Your comments will help us improve future events.
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VIP is a complete rip off
VIP is a complete rip off , the seats are all broken , 2 cheap toilets which where disgusting .. paid £25 extra for this rubbish and didn’t receive the goody bag after . Food here cost is disrespectful, £12 for a wrap , bao bun £8 for just one . Badly under staffed security leaving a risk for the public which should be reviewed .
June 1, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. I’m really sorry that your VIP experience didn’t meet expectations.
We’ve taken on board your comments about the VIP area, including seating, toilets, and the goody bags, and I’m pleased to say that this year we’re improving the VIP experience, reflecting this in our Platinum tickets. Your feedback is helping guide those changes.
Regarding food pricing, our traders are independent businesses and set their own prices, so we don’t control the cost of individual items. That said, we understand your concerns about value, and we continue to review the mix of traders to provide better options where possible.
We’ve also noted your comments on staffing and security - safety is a top priority, and we’re reviewing operations to make sure staffing levels are appropriate for the size of the event.
Thank you again for sharing your experience. Feedback like yours is vital in helping us improve future events.
Do not bother and avoid VIP tickets keys if you do
Agree with the other reviews. I first went 6 years ago which was a great experience. Loads of entrepreneurs and their products (spices, sauces, snacks etc). The masterclasses were engaging. There were food trucks but it was more about the stalls. I went again 3 years ago and it was all alcohol with fewer interesting stalls and a rise in food trucks. This year (2025) was all food trucks. Frankly save yourself the money and order from Deliveroo or Uber Eats. We paid for VIP tickets too which was not worth it in any form. The entrance was a disaster with more queues to get tickets for Masterclasses and no priority for VIP tickets (was apparently a part of the deal). End to end badly curated, badly run and not a Foodies Festival.
May 25, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback and for being a long-term supporter of Foodies Festival. I’m really sorry to hear that your experience this year didn’t live up to your past visits - we completely understand how disappointing that must have felt.
We’ve taken on board your comments about the VIP area, including the lack of priority access and the overall experience. This year, we’re improving the VIP experience as part of our Platinum ticket offering, including better access, seating, and amenities. Your feedback is helping guide those changes.
Regarding the mix of stalls and food trucks, we appreciate your point about wanting more variety and engaging products. This kind of feedback is crucial as we plan and curate future events to balance entertainment, food, and entrepreneurial stalls and this year we are launching several new features.
We’re also reviewing operational issues like entrance queues and Masterclass access to ensure the festival runs more smoothly in the future.
Thank you again for your honest feedback. We’re genuinely sorry we didn’t meet expectations this time, and we’re using your comments to improve upcoming events.
Absolutely terrible
Absolutely terrible. I feel sorry for anyone who actually paid £25 for a ticket!
We thought it would be a vibrant foodie experience, with loads of demonstrations etc.
we didn’t see any demonstrations, it was very lack lustre and depressing. What a shame
May 26, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from foodiesfestival.com
Thank you for sharing your feedback - I’m really sorry to hear that your experience didn’t match your expectations. We completely understand how disappointing it must have felt to attend expecting demonstrations and a vibrant atmosphere and to find it lacking.
Your comments have been passed on to the team, as we continually review our events to improve the mix of demonstrations, stalls, and overall experience for attendees. Feedback like yours is really valuable in helping us make future festivals more engaging.
We’re genuinely sorry we didn’t deliver the experience you were hoping for, and we appreciate you taking the time to let us know. If you would like to email jo@foodiesfestival.com I would be happy to look into this further for you.
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