Northern Ireland’s top Queen tribute band, Flash Harry, is set to return to the Hillsborough International Oyster Festival’s line-up on the evening of Saturday 3rd September 2016. Harry Hamilton, the band’s front-man and Oyster Pearl, Shannon Graham (pictured), have started warming-up for the live concert and BBQ which is supported by New City Cabs.

Performing all the top Queen tracks, Flash Harry will entertain guests with hit records like Bohemian Rhapsody, We Will Rock You, and Don’t Stop Me Now, while local chefs will be serving up a sizzling barbeque menu produced with premium Northern Irish meats for concert and BBQ ticketholders.

To book your tickets and further information on the Hillsborough International Oyster Festival’s full programme visit www.hillsboroughoysterfestival.com

The Hillsborough International Oyster Festival also kindly acknowledges the support of Tourism Northern Ireland and Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council in the staging of this year’s event.

Hillsborough International Oyster Festival committee member Sarah Waugh, Oyster Pearl Shannon Graham, and Nigel Crawford, Executive Director, Quilter Cheviot toast the launch of the exclusive Quilter Cheviot Pearl and Oyster Ball which will take place on Friday 2nd September as part of the Festival’s 2016 programme.

With world-class entertainment from the American Supreme Dream Girls, guests will enjoy a six-course gala dinner with boutique Chateau de la Ligne wines. A raffle will also take place to raise funds for the Festival’s 2016 charity, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust with one lucky winner receiving a stay at the luxurious Chateau.

Nigel Crawford, Executive Director, Quilter Cheviot said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring this year’s Pearl and Oyster Ball and helping to support the Festival’s charity. The festival is a huge draw for visitors to our region and we are proud to give our backing to the Ball, which is a key part of the event and a much-anticipated date on the local social calendar. We’re looking forward to greeting guests to what is set to be a fabulous evening.”

The Hillsborough International Oyster Festival also kindly acknowledges the support of Tourism Northern Ireland and Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council in the staging of this year’s event. The ball gown worn by Oyster Pearl Shannon Graham (pictured) was generously provided by leading Irish designer Maryrose McGrath.

To reserve a table contact Sean Hall on 0044 (0)7802 311388 or email sean.g.hall@outlook.com

For further information on the Hillsborough International Oyster Festival’s full programme visit www.hillsboroughoysterfestival.com.

Food lovers are in for a treat at Lurgan Market this August when celebrity chef Jenny Bristow will be rustling up a range of delicious dishes and seasonal snacks while showcasing how to ‘Love Food Hate Waste’.
Jenny will be rocking up to Lurgan Plaza on Thursday 25th August from 11.30am-2pm, to work her culinary magic and whip up some gorgeous grub – including quick and easy recipes for all busy parents out there to try out when the back to school madness starts all over again in September!

This morning of fabulous food is organised by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council in support of the national Love Food Hate Waste campaign which creates awareness of the simple steps we can all take to reduce food waste.

Shoppers will have the chance to sample Jenny’s fabulous food, pick up ideas on budget friendly family dishes and school lunches while making the most out of the weekly food purchases. Shoppers will be able to take home recipe cards, free lunch boxes, cool bags, aprons and goody bags plus there will be some treats for the young ones in the audience including a fun-filled seed planting composting workshop to take home and grow their own veg! Jenny will also be dishing out some handy hints and tips on how to cook with leftovers and guests will have the opportunity to ask questions about home cooking.

Making an appearance will be Lord Mayor of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon, Councillor Garath Keating, who comments “Council is taking major strides in tackling waste, particularly food waste which not only has a huge impact on resident’s pockets but also on the environment through the energy used in producing and transporting the food. This event is a great way of promoting the importance of watching how much food we waste and throw away plus showcasing to locals that food made from unwanted food and leftovers can be delicious. I really hope Jenny’s cookery masterclass encourages more people throughout the Borough to be creative with their cooking and to use their imagination to rustle up some really tasty treats.”

Gavin McDonagh, Business Development Manager, RiverRidge Recycling adds; “RiverRidge Recycling is committed to tackling the issue of food waste and is delighted to support this excellent event. Diverting food waste from landfill has become a priority and with new food waste legislation, RiverRidge offers a dependable and transparent waste management service, including a free waste management audit, to help identify the most effective and efficient solution to managing waste streams. We are continually investigating new and more resourceful landfill diversion strategies for food waste and are pleased to support this great opportunity to learn practical advice and recipes which will help consumers to get the most from food purchases, waste less and protect the environment from the damaging effects of food wastage.”

Free raffle on the day with superb back to school prizes including a Samsung Tablet, £50 voucher for a local shoe shop, £30 voucher for Easons and a voucher for a cut and blow dry at People 1st Hair Salon in Lurgan.
This event has been sponsored by RiverRidge and Flo Gas.

For further information please call Recycling Officer, Jennifer Cunningham on 028 38 312467

Leading travel agency Bryan Somers Travel, Saintfield, is helping to raise much-needed funds this year for Cancer Fund for Children by donating a number of high-value prizes to be auctioned off at the Hans Sloane Chocolate Ball on Friday, 23rd September 2016. Announced as a key supporting sponsor and exclusive travel partner of this year’s Finnebrogue Artisan Hans Sloane Chocolate & Fine Food Festival, Bryan Somers Travel is well-known across Northern Ireland due to its reputation for providing great holidays with great service, an ethos that is clearly reflected in the organisation’s involvement with this year’s Chocolate Festival as the travel provider.

Commenting on their involvement with this year’s festival, Jonathan Millar, Director, Bryan Somers Travel said, “We are delighted to be involved in this year’s Hans Sloane Chocolate Ball and look forward to bringing in significant funds via the Ball’s charity auction to help Cancer Fund for Children continue their exceptional work for young people and their families facing cancer diagnoses and treatment.”

The range of prizes generously donated this year by Bryan Somers Travel includes 2 Return flights with Emirates Airlines and a 5 night stay at the 5 star deluxe Waldorf Astoria in Ras al Khamiah including private return airport transfers and a Dubai City Tour (Date restrictions apply); Golf and overnight accommodation at the K Club for 4 people. (1 night based on 4 sharing a 2 bedroom apartment at the K Club, including breakfast and a round on each course. Sun – Thurs stays); A day trip to watch Ireland v All Blacks in coach and tickets at the Aviva Stadium, 19th November 2017; and a Royal County Down Golf Experience for 3 golfers to experience a clinic before golf with Director of Golf Mr K Whitson followed by the opportunity to play with current RCD pro, Reeve Whitson.

“We are overwhelmed by the outstanding calibre of trips and experiences donated by the team at Bryan Somers Travel,” said Leo Callow, festival organising committee. “These superb prizes reflect the high-end evening that is the biennial Hans Sloane Chocolate Ball, which will include outstanding local food, world-class entertainment, and an excellent reason to celebrate Killyleagh’s most famous son, Sir Hans Sloane, who is credited with bringing chocolate to the British Isles!”

The Finnebrogue Artisan Hans Sloane Chocolate & Fine Food Festival kindly acknowledges the support of Tourism Northern Ireland, Newry Mourne & Down District Council, and Food NI in the staging of this year’s event as well as the support of sponsors Bryan Somers Travel, Finlay Wealth Management, Jeep, Killyleagh Development Association, Mash Direct, Roskyle, and S.D. Bell’s.

Limited tickets are still available for the 2016 Hans Sloane Chocolate Ball. To book a table of 10 at the cost of £1,000, please email contact@hanssloane.com

Derry City and Strabane District Council is delighted to have been shortlisted as one of the top ten finalists by the Restaurants Association of Ireland in their search for top Foodie Destination 2016 and is now urging the public to get behind its campaign to secure the title.

Congratulating Council on progressing to the final stages of the competition, the Mayor Alderman Hilary McClintock said winning the prestigious title would be much deserved recognition for the city as an international food tourism destination.

She continued: “We pride ourselves on our hospitality and a warmth of welcome that is second to none. As runner-up Foodie Town 2015, we have already demonstrated that we are one of the leading foodie destinations, putting the highest quality local food provenance to the forefront of the visitor experience.

“I have every confidence that with the exemplary partnerships we enjoy with our award-winning local restaurants, chefs, producers and suppliers, combined with the invaluable support of the local community, we can win this title outright after being narrowly pipped at the post last year.”

Mayor McClintock urged the public to get behind the crucial final stage of the competition which involves two elements, online public voting worth 50%, and the other part of the judging process which will be determined by two independent assessors during a destination visit on August 30th to get a real sense of the renowned foodie experience on offer in the city.

Pointing out that Derry achieved the highest number of online public votes in last year’s competition which was scooped by The Burren in Co Clare, Mary Blake, Tourism Development Officer with Derry City and Strabane District Council, added: “Since last year we have worked collectively and more empowered than ever, showcasing the best of local produce and picking up many awards on the way.

“Our driving mission is that we are a truly LegenDerry Food destination. We are passionate about growing our Foodie Destination with a food offer that is’ LegenDerry and Local’ in all we do. This mission underpins our production, menu messaging, dining experiences and festivals and events.

“We firmly believe that we have what it takes to be crowned Foodie Destination of Ireland 2016 and would encourage everyone to ‘Vote For Us’ and also support our campaign on social media by using the hashtag #FoodieDestinations on Twitter and Facebook.”

The online public voting is now live by following the link http://www.foodiedestinations.ie/city/derry/. The voting will close at 12pm on Friday, September 9th with the winner announced soon afterwards.

For the first time ever, two Street Food businesses from Northern Ireland are being provided with the opportunity to demonstrate their culinary expertise at THE major event for the industry in Britain – The British Street Food Awards 2016.

Twelve street-food traders – from all over the country will be judged on the quality and innovation of their food, along with customer service at the Hillsborough International Oyster Festival on Saturday 3rd September.

The two winners of the first-ever Northern Ireland heat, which is being organised by Food NI and Tourism NI as part of Year of Food and Drink, will go forward to the finals of the British Street Food Awards in Birmingham on 17/18 September.

Michele Shirlow, Food NI Chief Executive, commenting on the awards, said: “We’ve seen a remarkable growth in the number of Street Food businesses. Street food is now the most dynamic sector of British food — the laboratory of new tastes. It’s the starting place of a lot of the most exciting restaurant openings throughout Britain in the last three years, including Pitt Cue, Yum Bun, Homeslice, MEATliquor, Pizza Pilgrims and Bao. And they have all been through the British Street Food Awards! Plus, there’s a lot of venture capital floating above it all, ready to pounce on the fresh new ideas for the High Street”

“We’ve seen quirky vans, bespoke trailers and even a former ambulance turned into mobile food bars serving outstandingly unique, informal and fun food; everything from the traditional burgers to healthy salads, noodles, hog roasts, pizzas, pies and even Belgian waffles.”

“Raising the profile of Street Food here was a key objective of Year of Food and Drink. We saw a need to support the expansion of food festivals throughout Northern Ireland by encouraging those interesting in a service that has long been a feature of many global cities and has won recognition from tourists.”

“We wanted visitors to Northern Ireland to rate our Street Food along with cities such as Amsterdam, Paris, New York, Hong Kong and Bangkok. We knew that Northern Ireland had the quality ingredients and enterprising people to succeed in an exciting industry that’s reckoned to be worth an amazing £600 million a year and is growing annually by 20 per cent. Northern Ireland is now part of what has become the most important and dynamic food trend in Britain for decades,” she added.

Don Spence, Chairman, Hillsborough International Oyster Festival added, “We are delighted to be hosting the first ever Northern Ireland heat of the British Street Food Awards at the Festival. The awards are an integral part of our Festival activities on 3rd September and we look forward to welcoming food connoisseurs from across the country to Hillsborough and of course sampling all the delicious street food on offer.”

The 12 street food traders at the Hillsborough International Oyster Festival will have to impress the public with innovative and outstandingly tasty food that also has a great visual appeal. Who wins – YOU decide! They will also have to tickle the taste buds of a guest judging panel.

The British Street Food Awards was launched in 2009 by UK food journalist Richard Johnson who had enjoyed delicacies from around the world and wanted to encourage the industry’s growth in Britain. He subsequently won the backing of celebrity chefs such as Mark Hix and Marco Pierre White as well as respected food writers including Tom Parker Bowles.

“We had a Northern Irish entrant in the first ever British Street Food Awards back in 2010. They were called Rocket and Relish — a beautiful Airstream trailer serving Dexter burgers, from Ulster, with Cashel Blue cheese. They made a lot of friends that weekend. But we’ve had no Northern Irish entrants since — so we decided to come and find the best for ourselves” sais Richard Johnson
“2016 is Northern Ireland’s Year of Food, celebrating the bounty of land and sea, and we’re honoured — more than a little excited — to be parking up at the world-famous Hillsborough International Oyster Festival. We know that the knees-up is also big old party for all the family, with a soapbox derby round the gracious Georgian town, live music, dancing and a barful of Ireland’s best craft beers. So we’ll fit right in.
“We’re been really impressed by the CVs of Northern Ireland’s finest traders, and the way they allow the amazing ingredients to speak for themselves. We’re looking forward to bringing them all to town on September 3. After Belfast, it’s full speed ahead for the national finals in September.”

The 12 Northern Ireland Street Food vendors taking part at the International Oyster Festival in Hillsborough are:

Broughgammon Farm
Linen Hill Kitchen
The Fabulous Food Factory
Pheasants Hill Farm Kitchen
Krazi Baker
Rocket Van
Cuban Sandwich Factory
Café Livanto
Piccolo Mondo
On The Hoof
Wolf and Devour
Andy Rea – Mourne Seafood Bar