Bolton Food and Drink Festival: free fun across four days

Bolton town centre will become a four-day festival site from Friday 28 August to Monday 31 August as the Bolton Food and Drink Festival returns for its 21st year. Most activities are free, and the programme is aimed at food lovers, families and visitors looking for live entertainment over the bank holiday weekend.

Bolton Council says hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected. Special events, including celebrity cooking demonstrations, require tickets, with limited spaces still available.

Hundreds of traders and three celebrity chefs

Hundreds of food and drink traders will operate throughout Bolton town centre. The confirmed selection stretches from international street food and artisan produce to sweet treats and locally made favourites, giving visitors several ways to build a day around the festival without relying on one main attraction.

James Martin will appear for a ticketed cooking demonstration on Saturday. Marco Pierre White and Nisha Katona are both scheduled to demonstrate on Monday, while free sessions featuring regional chefs will showcase culinary talent from across North West England.

Tickets for the celebrity demonstrations can be booked online through the festival website. The council notice says availability is limited but does not give a final booking deadline.

Live music and hands-on activities for families

Free live music and entertainment will run during the weekend, with Liberty X and The Real Thing named as headliners. The performances sit alongside the food programme rather than requiring visitors to attend a separate event.

Families will find circus-skills workshops, bubble performances, creative art sessions and a giant doodle wall across the festival site. A giant sandpit and other interactive experiences are also included in the free programme.

Those comparing late-August family outings can also explore the programme for Ballycastle’s four-day Ould Lammas Fair.

Why Bolton is preparing for another busy weekend

The festival attracted more than half a million visitors in 2025, according to Bolton Council. That attendance helps explain why the event extends across the town centre and combines traders, performances, demonstrations and children’s activities rather than operating as a single food market.

The council also reports that the annual festival generates millions of pounds for the local economy. Its town-centre format provides trading opportunities while bringing visitors within reach of established local businesses during the four-day programme.

Details to check before setting out

The confirmed venue is Bolton town centre, with activities running from 28 to 31 August. Most of the programme is free, but visitors interested in a celebrity chef demonstration will need a separate ticket.

The published notice does not specify daily opening times, detailed transport guidance or accessibility arrangements. Visitors who need those details should check the festival’s latest announcements before travelling.

Celebrity demonstration tickets for James Martin, Marco Pierre White and Nisha Katona can be booked online through the festival website while the remaining spaces are available.

Source: Bolton Council News