This popular West Cork food festival is back and ready to serve up a feast!
With face painting, play areas and world-class cuisine on offer, the Carnival has something for all the family.
West Cork’s hotly anticipated Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival is back on Saturday 15 June 2024 and promises to be another jam-packed, gastronomic weekend, set to impress the ultimate culinary aficionado. The colourful streets come alive as rows of tables line Pearse Street to create Clonakilty’s biggest outdoor dining experience, with live entertainment throughout the day.
The family friendly food festival, now in its sixth year, is West Cork’s hottest meal ticket and is expected to serve up another fabulous and unforgettable feast for thousands of foodies, with seating for up to 600 people at a time.
Clonakilty’s award-winning restaurants, food producers and suppliers all come together for one day a year in June to cook up and serve their tantalising, seasonal dishes to suit a diverse range of tastes. Served as street food, diners can choose two main dishes from multiple food vendors that includes anything from Indian curries to locally sourced seafood dishes, all topped off with a selection of wines and desserts.
This year’s mouth-watering weekend will include a special-guest appearance by celebrity chef Kevin Dundon. Known for his television appearances across Ireland, the UK and further afield, including shows like Guerrilla Gourmet and Heat, he has also cooked for The Queen, former presidents, and celebrities.
The renowned Irish chef will officially open the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival food tent ahead of the food service, which will begin at 3pm on Saturday 15 June.
Kevin Dundon said, “It’s a real pleasure to be a part of the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival this year. Clonakilty is a fabulous town, with great community spirit, and a wealth of local food producers and restaurants who will be involved in the cooking for the day. I’m very much looking forward to sampling the menu on offer and learning more about the culinary delights that Clonakilty and West Cork has to offer.”
Irish Yogurts Clonakilty is celebrating 30 years in business this year, and as the lead sponsor of the event, Managing Director Diarmuid O’Sullivan says, “We are extremely excited to have Kevin Dundon with us on the day to celebrate the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival. We hope to showcase the wonderful talents that Clonakilty has, shining a light on the town as a popular tourist destination, and as the country’s leading artisan food producing region.”
Ticket holders will get their culinary fix from the region’s most celebrated restaurateurs and food producers in Clonakilty. On the menu for 2024 will be delicious dishes served by Kirby’s at The Whale’s Tail, The Emmet Hotel, Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa, Clonakilty Park Hotel, O’Donovan’s Hotel, The Alley Garden Bistro, Oak Fire Pizza, Casey’s Bar & Restaurant, Scannell’s, The Celtic Ross Hotel, The Pike Deli, The Little Island Resort and Wazzy Woo, featuring the finest local and seasonal produce with vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options available.
The spectacular al fresco dining experience will host an eclectic line-up of entertainment, with carnival style antics and live music free to everyone. Stilt walkers, magicians and jugglers will serenade diners, and headliners The Monks will kick-start the main stage events with live music throughout the day at various central locations within the popular seaside town.
The award-winning June festival will also see the popular family fun zone open from 11am, as families can enjoy a variety of activities to suit all ages, including face-painting, bouncy inflatables, giant games, and an enclosed play area for toddlers. A kids meal option will also be available at the family fun zone from 1pm, or families can choose to dine together from the main food tent’s extensive menu of appetising dishes, available to all food ticket holders from 3pm.
As the Wild Atlantic Way celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year, Clonakilty is a renowned tourist destination in West Cork and a go-to food destination, with the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival celebrating the very best the region has to offer.
With many of Ireland’s artisan producers based in West Cork, the wealth of award-winning and internationally acclaimed food producers who hail from Clonakilty include Irish Yogurts Clonakilty, The Clonakilty Food Company and its signature Clonakilty Blackpudding, Shannonvale Foods, Clona Dairy, Clonakilty Distillery, and many more.
Dinner tickets are €20 for adults and €10 for children. Diners are encouraged to pre-book their dinner tickets online at www.clonakilty.ie (booking fee included) to avoid disappointment.
Food will be served from 3pm with last servings expected around 5pm, or until all food is sold out, therefore it is advisable to arrive early to the street dinner event. All other entertainment and carnival events are free all day from 11am until late.
Follow the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival on Facebook and Instagram at @clonakiltystreetcarnival
