The Edinburgh Food Festival (EFF) that was launched in 2015, when it ran for five days as part of Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink, is the city’s only free central Food Festival. It was postponed in 2020, but from 23rd July 2021, will return for 10 days of culinary treats as well as Chef demonstrations and workshops from some of the country’s best Chefs, including Carina Contini of the eponymous restaurant, Scott Smith of Fhior, MasterChef the Professionals inaugural Champion, Derek Johnstone and more. Holding at its heart quality Scottish ingredients, EFF has grown from welcoming over 35,000 visitors in 2019 to a ten-day event that will take place in George Square Gardens.
EFF 2021, that marks the beginning the Assembly Festival’s summer programming in Edinburgh, will feature a compact programme of food workshops and activities for children and families, as well as some ad hoc events taking place during the ten-day event, with the first live events for the Festival Fringe taking place from Thursday 29 July.
This summer’s event will be a bit different from previous years, as Scotland slowly emerges from the lockdown restrictions that caused last year’s Festival postponement. Festival goers will be allocated a table for their visit, where they can enjoy food from a careful selection of Scottish street food stalls then enjoy a drink from a bar set up in the Gardens.
The Gardens have been designed from the ground up to ensure the safety of visitors and staff alike, with capacities in the Gardens and the indoor venues having been reduced to enable physical distancing measures being put in place. All payments at the box office, food outlets and bars will be contactless to avoid unnecessary cash handling and there will be additional cleaning as well as hand sanitisation stations located throughout the Gardens.
EFF 2021, that is supported through Scotland’s Events Recovery Fund delivered by EventScotland, will take place in the Covid-secure Assembly George Square Gardens from Friday 23rd July till Sunday 1st August. Full details are available on their website and via social media.
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 