FOODIES FESTIVAL returns to Oaklands College, St Albans 29th - 31st May. The star-studded touring food & music festival, in its 21st year, announces a huge line-up of TV celebrity chefs and chart-topping music stars, including Scouting For Girls, Boyzone and Westlife supergroup Boyzlife, and Symphonic Ibiza Orchestra

The three-day gastronomic extravaganza, features live cooking demonstrations from an extensive menu of top chefs. Featuring MasterChef and Bake-Off champions, Great British Menu winners, judges and TV guest chefs, and highly-rated regional chefs.

Star names cooking live include: Great British Menu Champion of Champions, Amber Francis, and contestent, Jason Howard, Royal cake maker and author Mich Turner MBE, ITV's The Heat star, Tom Lodge, BBC radio presenter and chef, Shahnaaz Ayub, MasterChef champion, Dhruv Baker and TV chefs and authors, Nigel Brown and Radhika Howarth.

Other renowned chefs and bakers appearing, include: Thippi Rashleigh, from award-winning Sala Thai Kitchen, St Albans, Best-selling author and chef, Thuy Diem Pham, based in St Albans, MasterChef: The Professionals star, Elena Frattura, from Rottura, Brentford, and 'The Dishy Dads' Jay Geddes and Gary Morton-Jones. More chefs are due to be announced.

Foodies Festival isn't just about the food – there's also a stellar music line-up that will have visitors dancing as they dine. Featuring festival favourites Scouting for Girls delivering their many top 40 hits, Boyzone and Westlife supergroup Boyzlife, with founding members Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden performing their vast catalogue of No 1's with a live band, and back due to public demand, Symphonic ibiza, with a fusion of dance anthems, live vocals, DJ and full orchestra.

Throughout each weekend, local and touring bands and artists will perform.

Visitors will be immersed in a food and drink heaven, with jam-packed schedules in the interactive live theatres. In the Chefs Theatre, celebrities will create their signature dishes and share new tips and tricks, cooking mouth-watering dishes and showing off the very best of locally sourced produce, whilst in the Cake & Desserts Theatre, patisserie chefs and star bakers whip up showstoppers and offer tempting sweet treats. For the hot-headed, Foodies' legendary chilli-eating competition expands, adding a new level of heat with the Ultimate Hot Wings Challenge!

New for 2026 'Ready, Steady, Cook!' presents the ultimate competitive cook-off featuring star names and powered by audience interaction! See MasterChef and Great British Menu go head-to-head!

Masterclasses in the Drinks Theatre include tutored sessions on Champagne, Beer, Cider, Cocktails, and Wine, featuring presentations from experts from ITV, BBC, and Channel 4.

Children will enjoy a packed itinerary with both educational and fun activities. Younger guests can enjoy the Kids Cookery School sessions, where they can prepare delicious food to eat or take home. The brand-new Foodies Treasure Hunt Trail will keep the little ones busy, following clues and uncovering hidden secrets across the entire festival. Afterwards, they can visit the fairground and games area in the Kids Zone.

Visitors can browse the latest food trends in the Shopping Village, meet local producers and sample a variety of delicious goods in the Artisan Market and taste exotic and unusual new dishes in the Feasting Tent – which features a mouth-watering range of Street Food and delicacies from all four corners of the globe.

Four-legged friends are always welcome at Foodies and well-catered for, with activities, yummy treats and fun competitions to enter.

Oaklands College, St Albans

29th, 30th, 31st May 2026

Tickets and more information: www.foodiesfestival.com