Mouth-watering food festival prepared come rain or shine

The weather may have scuppered thousands of back-garden barbecue plans but one of the country’s top food festivals is going ahead this weekend come hail, rain or shine.

The Irish Examiner Food Festival will be launched in Cork’s Fitzgerald Park tonight, with up to 15,000 visitors expected over the weekend.

Celebrating the wealth of artisan food producers, some of the region’s finest restaurants, and Cork’s love of food, the line-up includes demonstrations by some of Ireland’s top chefs, including Andrew Rudd, Rachel Allen, Darina Allen, Michelle Darmody, and Paolo Tullio.

There will also be a strong emphasis on kids, with children under 12 admitted for free and with designated Kid Zone inside to keep them entertained.

Musical entertainment will be provided by groups including The Dublin City Gospel Choir and Mr Whippy Sound System, with a Mexican band performing on Sunday to complement the Mexican theme of the last day of the festival.

The Mexican ambassador, Carlos Garcia De Alba, will also be in attendance.

Joint festival organiser, Phil Ryan said they are keeping a close eye on the weather.

“The weather forecast is looking good for the next few days, but just in case it’s not, we have prepared for all eventualities,” he said.

“The majority of our attractions have weather-proof coverage and we have all-weather track-ways on any areas of grass that will be used as pathways.

“If it rains we even have a stock of thousands of ponchos to distribute to anyone forgetting a brolly, but hopefully we won’t need them.”

Cork City Council has agreed to keep the museum in the park open until 8:30pm every day.

The car park at the nearby Kingsley Hotel will be open throughout the festival, and Mardyke Walk will be closed to traffic from 4pm on Thursday to non-residents to facilitate the crowds.

Tickets, priced at €12 each, are available from Electric Bar & Restaurant on the South Mall, Sober Lane on Sullivan’s Quay, from the official website www.irishexaminerfoodfestival.com and from the Irish Examiner office on Lapps Quay.

* You can get up-to-date information on the festival on Facebook by searching for Irish Examiner Food Festival or on Twitter @CorkFoodFest.