Festival Events
Celebrating food, drink and community across the Shaftesbury area.
What's On When
From an art exhibition and Friday night quiz to a countryside food trail and the main festival — here's the full schedule.
The Great Food Quiz Sold Out
6pm–10pm at Sorelle, Motcombe
Fun food & drink quiz — teams of up to 6. Prizes for the winners!
Food Trail
10am–4pm — Explore local producers around Shaftesbury
Farm walks, tastings and behind-the-scenes tours.
Headline Events
Byzant Walk
2pm
All-Day Activities
Street Market
10am–4pm
Ingredients Hunt
10am–4pm
A Feast For The Eyes
Art exhibition — 10am–4pm
Children's Art Competition
10am–3pm
The Great Food Quiz Sold Out
Hosted at Sorelle, Motcombe
Test your knowledge of foodie facts in this fun quiz to celebrate The Shaftesbury Food Festival!
Time
18:00 – 22:00
Gates & bar open 6pm · Quiz starts 6:30pm
Location
Bittles Brook Farm
Motcombe, Shaftesbury SP7 9NX
Teams
Maximum 6 people per team
Book your team's tickets together
Tickets
£2.50 per person (Standard Entry)
All profits donated to a local food bank
Celebrating all things food and drink, this fun event has been organised in association with The Truckle Truck and Shaftesbury Food Festival. Fabulous local chef Philippa Davis will be compere for the evening, guiding you through the questions. We are delighted to be hosting this for the third year running!
Get your best team together, swot up on the latest foodie facts and come join the fun. There will be suitably delicious prizes for the winning teams.
Rocky's will be serving their signature pizzas from 6pm — vegan, veggie and gluten free options available (contact Sorelle in advance for other dietary requirements).
Please car share where possible as parking is limited. Anyone seen using a mobile phone during the quiz will be made to eat an entire jar of pickled herring. You have been warned.
The Shaftesbury Food Trail
Shaftesbury & surrounding area
Explore the Shaftesbury Food Trail and discover the brilliant local food producers that make this area so special. Visit farms, taste award-winning produce and follow the trail at your own pace on festival day.
10am–4pm
Saturday 2nd May 2026 — explore at your own pace
A Feast for the Eyes
Shaftesbury Arts Centre
An exhibition of art with food at its heart. Featuring works by Maja Barker, Alison Turner, Joanne Rutter, Kate Toms, Becca Perl, Lucy Bentley and Charlotte Lorimer. Sponsored by The Kitchen Table.
29th April – 5th May 2026
10am–4pm daily
Ingredients Hunt
Around the festival site
A fun family scavenger hunt around the festival. Collect your card from 10 AM, find all the hidden ingredients around the stalls and high street, and hand it in by 4 PM for a chance to win prizes!
Sunday 3rd May 2026
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
More events will be announced as the festival approaches. Check back soon!
Festival FAQs
Dates, highlights, tickets and timings across the weekend.
The festival takes place over three days on the early May bank holiday weekend:
- Friday 1st May 2026 — The Great Food Quiz at Sorelle (SOLD OUT)
- Saturday 2nd May 2026 — The Food Trail (new for 2026)
- Sunday 3rd May 2026 — Main town festival day (10am–5pm)
On Sunday, the main festival is based across:
- Gold Hill
- Shaftesbury High Street
- Park Walk
- Town centre (SP7 8LY)
On Saturday, the Food Trail extends into the surrounding Dorset countryside, connecting farms, producers and makers.
Sunday features a full programme of headline events, including:
- Gold Hill Cheese Race
- MasterChefs LIVE Demos
- 100+ trader Street Market
- Live music and entertainment
- Traditional Byzant Walk
- Food-inspired art exhibition: A Feast For The Eyes
- Family activities and trails: Ingredient’s Hunt & Children’s Art Competition
Yes, the vast majority of the festival is FREE entry.
Some experiences are:
- Ticketed via Eventbrite (by donation or booking)
- Or require advance booking for capacity management: Park & Ride
Some elements are FREE but require booking, including:
- Gold Hill Cheese Race entry
- Your place in the audience for the MasterChefs LIVE demos (tickets by donation)
- Park & Ride parking
Booking in advance is via Eventbrite.
All Sunday activities conclude at approximately 5pm.
The festival runs in all weather conditions. Many activities are outdoors, so we recommend dressing appropriately for the British spring weather and checking the forecast in advance.
