Bolton Food and Drink Festival returns free this August
Bolton Food and Drink Festival will fill the town centre with international street food, artisan produce and handmade goods from Friday 28 to Monday 31 August. Entry is free, the event is open to the public, and its mix of food and family-friendly activities is designed for visitors of different ages and budgets.
Hundreds of traders are expected across Bolton town centre during the four-day festival. Bolton Council published the confirmed dates on 17 August, while noting that the final trader line-up and further attractions were still being arranged.
Four free days in Bolton town centre
The festival will run throughout the bank holiday weekend, with stalls lining streets in the town centre. Le Mans Crescent will also host the returning Arts Circle exhibition and sale.
Read also: Bolton Food and Drink Festival packs in four days of free family fun
No opening times have been confirmed in the supplied event notice. It also does not provide transport guidance or details of accessibility arrangements, so visitors who need those particulars will need to check the latest festival information before attending.
The event is sponsored by Peel Land and combines food, drink, entertainment, crafts and activities intended for families. Councillor Debbie Newall, Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member for Culture, said the range was intended to offer something for every taste and budget.
Street food brings global flavours to Bolton
The savoury selection stretches across several cuisines. The council says visitors can expect Greek gyros, Turkish shawarma, Thai street food, Portuguese pastries, Italian pasta, Caribbean dishes and Indian curries.
Named traders include Greek Street Food by the Malaka Brothers, Istanbul’s Kitchen and Thai 2 Go. Happy Dumpling 365 and Dobra Kitchen are also among the businesses preparing to serve international dishes in Bolton town centre.
Dessert stalls will add cheesecakes, crepes, doughnuts, chocolate treats and artisan fudge to the mix. Fifi’s Cheesecakes, Nutella House, Choc-O-Licious, Love Crepes and Pit Stop Donut King are all included in the announced line-up.
That variety gives groups scope to browse before deciding what to eat rather than committing to one type of meal. The council has not published individual stall prices, although it describes the wider festival as catering to different budgets.
Artisan produce, drinks and handmade gifts
The market is not limited to ready-to-eat dishes. Independent producers will bring locally produced honey, handmade cheeses, artisan bread, specialist sauces and gourmet preserves.
Bright Meadows Honey, Great British Cheese Co, Handcrafted Bread Co, Wiltshire Chilli Farm and Heritage Kitchen are among the confirmed producers. Drinks traders named by the council include Northern Shakers, Salford Rum Company, Mountain Mead, Coole Swan and Retro Shots.
Visitors can also browse jewellery, bags, wooden items and other handmade crafts. Daisy Louise Jewellery, Grace Alexandra Jewellery, Karousell Bags and Ruslyn Wood Creations are among the non-food traders expected to attend.
Details to check before setting out
The confirmed essentials are the dates, the central Bolton location and free public entry. Visitors can attend between 28 and 31 August, but the source does not specify daily opening or closing times.
The announced selection already covers street food, desserts, artisan groceries, drinks, crafts and art. Bolton Council says the line-up remains in development, with additional stalls and attractions still to be confirmed ahead of the festival.
Source: Bolton Council News
Context & actions About this article
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Event dates, location, entry status and named traders were checked against information published by Bolton Council.
- Confirmed the festival dates as 28–31 August 2026.
- Confirmed the venue as Bolton town centre, with the Arts Circle on Le Mans Crescent.
- Confirmed that entry is free and the event is open to the public.
- Kept opening times, transport and accessibility details unspecified because they were not...
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- Bolton Council News
- Scope
- Bolton
- Updated
- 2026-08-18 15:29
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