Alfresco Food Festivals
Alfresco Food Festival
Our food festival runs once a year in spring at the end of May. The event is held in the Parkland that surrounds the hotel and in essence celebrates new life, the Yorkshire countryside and the produce grown in it. The concept of the event is to bring to life the connection between the Yorkshire countryside, the ingredients growing in it, and the food on our plates – showcasing “gate to plate” in our beautiful surroundings.
The details given on this page are for the 2011 event which took place over a Saturday night (with a Twilight party) and Sunday (with the Walking Food Festival) at the end of May. The 2012 details will be posted shortly once the dates and details have been confirmed..
Twilight Party
The Twilight Party was held for the first time in 2011 and was a magical evening. Over 300 people attended, with the gourmet barbecue and real ale bar particularly popular, along with juggling and circus skills entertainment for the children. The live music was the main attraction of the evening, and a great success.
The Conspirators
Bringing a most exciting acoustic live show to this year's Alfresco food
festival are local stars The Conspirators. The band first shot to fame
in 2007 by hitting the top of the US Independent Charts with 'Turning
Green'. Since then they have hit the top ten of the UK Radio 1 Indie chart,
and have been touring/working with the likes of Ocean Colour Scene, Dodgy
and Fairport Convention! The band are currently recording their first
album, one of the most hotly anticipated releases around. Be prepared
to dance and sing and be completely involved with one of the most enjoyable
live shows you will see. Upbeat, Summer tunes gloriously performed. Don't
miss it!
Trio Gitan
In part reminiscent of the hot club music of Stephane Grappelli and Django
Rheinhardt, but also flavoured with with soulful tangos, exotic gypsy
tunes from eastern europe, and classics of the swing era from the great
American songbook. Evocative and poignant violin from Andy Lawrenson,
exciting and skillful acoustic guitar work from Jack Burge, underpinned
by accomplished and tasteful double bass lines from Rob Steels/Dominic
Rivron. From frenetic full on swing jazz to atmospheric and soulful Tangos
and Gypsy tunes, this is Exciting, Exotic and Dynamic stuff at it's best!
Monster Ceilidh Band
Outrageously foot-stomping tunes from this Newcastle based four-piece
who mix quirky tunes with beats and attitude. Elegant traditional playing
versus raucous rave-like rhythms reveals arrangements to ignite the dance
floor.
Walking Food Festival
Cookery Demonstrations and ‘Hands On’ Cooking
Yorkshire produce is on sale in the Gourmet Food Marquee, along with a demonstration cookery theatre running demonstrations throughout the day. The chefs demonstrating are Robert Taylor (Swinton Park Cookery School Head Chef),John Rogers from the hotel restaurant at Swinton Park, and Judy Bell from Shepherds Purse Cheeses.
Food producers also run demonstrations throughout the day, with hands on opportunities for visitors – such as making sausages with Masham Sausage Shop, rolling your own sushi with Simon Phillips, and also learning how to pluck and dress a game bird with Yorkshire Game.
Alfresco Kitchens and Guided Tours
The focus is very much on food throughout the day, with alfresco kitchens set up at the clay oven beside deer house, in the parkland and woodland overlooking the lakes, and in the walled garden. We normally offer a three course meal, with different courses being served at each kitchen, along with morning coffee, afternoon tea and cake at the Full Moon Cafe. Every dish champions Yorkshire produce, sourced either from the parkland, our walled garden or surrounding countryside, or wild food foraged from the estate.
Tours on Foraging for Wild Food in the parkland and Growing Your Own Produce in the Walled Garden run at scheduled times in the grounds throughout the day.
Artists in Residence
Join the artists Hester Cox, Ian Scott-Massie and Chris Moss at the Deer House to watch them at work and to try your hand at learning some new skills.
Hester Cox is a printmaker based in North Yorkshire. She trained at Harrow School of Art and Design and now exhibits and sells her limited edition prints throughout the UK. Her main mediums are collagraph, relief, carborundum and solarplate prints. She will be attending the show to demonstrate her print making skills and there will be opportunities to enjoy workshop time with her. her subject matter for the day will be poultry and there will be live models to work from!
Ian Scott-Massie studied music and drama at Durham University and began selling work shortly after. Although initially an artist in oils and acrylics he began painting in watercolour on moving to Wensleydale in 1987. Originally his approach to landscape painting was heavily influenced by the philosophy of the English artist Paul Nash and, like him, Scott strives to invest his work with the personality of the landscape he is portraying. Similarly he regards his abstract work as a continuation of the ideas of the New York 'abstract expressionist' school. A selection of Scott's watercolours will be available for sale on the day, and visitors can also have a go at painting a still life of harvest produce in watercolour (£7 per go)
Chris Moss graduated in Fine Art Painting, but later began working in three dimensions, and now uses wire as a medium in its own right. Anatomy, mass and bone structure can all be implied with a few carefully formed strands and the natural tension of hard drawn wire, used in long arcs and broad circles, conveys energy, dynamism and movement. Her art has been widely displayed, and we are thrilled that she can join us at Alfresco. She will be creating sculptures of sheep on the day, with two in pens to work from, and will have gallery space with several animals for sale on the day (from £85 upwards). Visitors on the day can try their hand at wire sculpting, working from a length of wire to create a small sheep. (£7 per go).
Craft & Country Activities
There is also an Artisan Craft area at the Full Moon Cafe, with opportunities for visitors to learn rural skills such as making garlands, infusion blending, and glass painting.
Children’s Activities
Children are also well catered for with the hands on cooking experiences, arts and crafts, face painting, pony rides and falconry displays. The Masham Young Farmers will also be putting on entertainment, and with Farm Adventure, adults can have a go a driving a tractor around a course, with rides also available for children.
Timings, Tickets and How to Find Us
The timings and ticket prices for the events are not yet confirmed. Most of the demonstrations, tours and displays are included within the ticket price, with a small charge applying in a few cases.
To find your way to the festival, follow the signs through Masham to the entrance gates to Swinton Park, but continue on up the hill with the parkland walls on your right. Continue around a corner to the right and the entrance to the festival is through the large green gates on your right. Parking is in the field, with disabled parking nearby to the Deer House and ticket office.
Please note that this is an outdoor event (although there are marquees and the deerhouse to provide seating and shelter from the elements), and outdoor clothing is recommended. The culinary trail is about 1.5 miles long, with alfresco kitchens and entertainment en route, and a great deal more to see and do at the deerhouse. There is a landrover shuttle for those who want avoid some of the walk, and there is disabled access to the Walled Garden where there is an alfresco kitchen and guided tour.
For guests wanting to stay at the hotel on the evening of the festival, please contact us if you would like to enquire about rates, or book festival tickets in advance.
Trade Stall Booking & Entry Forms
Please contact us if you are interested in attending the 2012 Festival. The 2011 booking forms and conditions are given below for information only.
LAST MINUTE SPECIAL OFFERS
See our Last minute special offers page for details of some great deals in the next few days.
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