A Community Celebration of Food – fringe festival takes place on Saturday 19th August at various community garden locations and it’s all FREE!
Community gardens throughout Cork City will open up to the public on Saturday 19th August during Cork on a Fork Festival in partnership with Cork Food Policy Council, to celebrate the wealth of community food and growing initiatives.
Everyone is invited to explore with tours, workshops, talks, demos and tastings in various community garden locations throughout the city and suburbs and it’s all free to enjoy!
Cork Food Policy Council is a partnership that has been formed to work towards the achievement of a fairer, healthier, more secure and sustainable food system within the city and throughout the region. The group will also host a fascinating 2-hour conference, Feeding Cork the sustainable and healthy way, moderated by Irish Examiner food writer Joe MacNamee, to open the festival.
Community Gardens set to host free Cork on a Fork Fringe events (on the 19th August) include; The Army Veteran’s Community Garden on the Old Youghal road, Togher Community Garden at Clashduv Park, Douglas Community Herb Garden which is on Church Road in Douglas, Murphys Farm Community Garden in Curaheen, the Community Garden in South Parish located at Pairc Eoin, Ballinlough Community Garden and St. Luke’s Community Garden.
Events will include cookery workshops, garden tours and scavenger hunts, a herbal medicine making demo, farm to form cook ups, a sound bath session and nature talks about growing your own and beekeeping! It promises to be an unmissable day of fun and discovery for all the community.
Also, on the Thursday of the festival, 17th August, Knocknaheeny Holyhill Community Garden will host their Annual Community Summer Day from 1pm-4pm during which time people can pick produce from the garden, listen to live music, sample their delicious verbena drink and lots, lots more.
No pre-booking is required for these events and all are free.
Cork on a Fork Fest takes place next week from 16th-20th August and will see the city transformed into one big food festival. The flavour-packed festival programme includes more than 100 free and ticketed food events, including tasting trails throughout the city, cooking demos, masterclasses, street events, bite size talks, symposiums, unique dining experiences and specials to appeal to all tastes, interests and ages.
Whether you want to taste your way through the city on a food trail, take part in unique culinary experiences at a pop-up event, learn a new skill at a talk or workshop, enjoy live entertainment at a street event, or feast on the finest local food, there will be plenty to see, do and devour. With some events close to capacity or already sold out, it’s time to make a booking to avoid disappointment.
Cork on a Fork Festival is a Cork City Council festival, supported by local hospitality businesses, Fáilte Ireland, Ireland’s Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way Pure Cork, Cork Business Association, Cork Airport, Atlantic Clinical Trials, and media partners the Irish Examiner and RedFM.
The full programme can be found on corkonaforkfest.ie or follow @corkonaforkfest for live updates.
Full details of all Community Celebration Events taking place on the 19th
Veggies for Vet’s
Location: Army Veteran’s Community Garden, Camp Field, Old Youghal Road, Opposite the Barracks.
Time: 11am – 3pm Saturday 19th August (arrive anytime between these hours- call Paddy to gain entry 0869249719)
Description: Guided tours and talk about this new garden established for army veterans, learn all about what we do and how we assist members of the forces.
No pre-booking required, Free.
Amaranth- an ancient superfood rediscovered
Location: Togher community garden, Clashduv Park, Clashduv Road, Togher.
Time: 11am
Description: A practical cookery workshop exploring amaranth’s nutritional culinary values. Maybel Hernandez who is growing the plant at Togher community garden will host a cookery demo on how to use this wonder grain.
No pre booking required, Free.
Herb Garden Workshop
Location: Douglas Community Herb Garden, Church Road, Douglas. Meet outside Douglas Community Centre, located inside gates by entrance of park.
Time: 11am to 1pm
Description: Exploration of our herb garden with a medicine making demonstration led by botanist Jo Goodyear
No pre booking required, Free.
Farm to Fork
Location: Murphys Farm Community Garden, Curaheen -follow signposts for Bishoptown Tennis Club, behind club.
Time: 2pm to 3.30pm (bring your own water)
Description: Welcome to our farm to fork cookup, using vegetables directly from our garden. Led by our guest chef JJ from MTU who will cook a stir fry and vegetarian burgers on site. Also get a guided tour of our wonderful vegetable and flower gardens.
No pre booking required, Free.
Discover a hidden garden in South Parish
Location: Páirc Eoin, St. John’s Park, Off Quaker Road, South Parish. (Go right down to the end through the gap.)
Time: 2pm
Description: Join us for a tour of this lovely space, visit our tree nursery, dye garden, medicinal bed and hear about what we are doing to support nature and community in this public space.
No pre booking required, Free.
Scavenger Hunt
Location: Ballinlough Community Garden, adjacent to the Gus Healy swimming pool Ballinlough.
Time: 3pm
Description: Come explore the flowers, vegetables and creatures that inhabit our garden, fun for all the family
No pre booking required, Free.
A Garden Dream
Location: St. Luke’s Community Garden, Ballyhooley Road
Time: 4pm-8pm
Description: Come join us for a magical evening, a tour of the garden and talk by beekeeper Kate Manning, Rosie Healy (The kitchen fairy) will prepare a bohemian feast with healthy treats and refreshments and to end a 40 minute sound bath from Naoise from Golden Space.
No pre booking required, Free.
And another event which takes place on the earlier date on 16th August
Annual Community Summer Day
Location: Knocknaheeny Holyhill Community Garden, Hollyville, Harbour View Road, Knocknaheeny, Cork. (Behind Apple Green Services)
Time: 1pm- 4pm Thursday 16th August
Description: Enjoy picking produce from our garden, live music, sample our delicious verbena drink and lots, lots more. All are welcome
No pre-booking required, Free.
