More than 50,000 food lovers expected to attend Ireland's biggest food festival

Founded by Vikings, Waterford is preparing itself for another invasion when more than 50,000 food lovers are expected to descend on the city next month for Ireland’s biggest food festival, Harvest.

This year’s festival, details of which were unveiled yesterday, will feature a host of celebrity chefs such as Darina Allen, Neven Maguire, Kevin Dundon and Martin Dorey, presenter of the hit BBC series One Man and his Campervan.

Festival chairwoman Anne Marie Caulfield said last year’s festival attracted 50,000 visitors. This year the organisers are hoping to surpass that with a diverse programme that includes slow food tours, wine and whiskey tasting, an artisan beer festival and cookery demonstrations.

“Harvest Waterford is always a celebration of great Irish food and we’re particularly proud to showcase the culinary range and expertise of the region which makes this Ireland’s largest food festival,” she said.

The 2012 Grow It Yourself Gathering will also take place in Waterford during the festival and sees Alys Fowler and Mark Diacono of BBC’s River Cottage attend.

For a programme of events, visit waterfordharvestfestival.ie