Ashford Town Centre serves up a sizzling success at Food and Drink Festival 2026

Ashford Town Centre was absolutely buzzing on Saturday 27 June as the Ashford Food and Drink Festival returned!  

With the sun shining and the streets full, visitors head to the Town Centre to soak up the feel-good atmosphere and tuck into a feast of flavours. With more than 40 stalls lining the High Street and Elwick Place, visitors were treated to a fantastic mix of local favourites and visiting street food traders. Festivalgoers enjoyed everything from sizzling street food by vendors such as Seoul Sarang, Jay’s Soul Food, Mexicorn and Cane’s Pizza Co., to artisan produce and sweet treats including fudge, brownies and local honey. Meanwhile, the beer was flowing at Coachworks Bar, providing the perfect spot for visitors to relax and soak up the festival atmosphere.

All ages were spoilt for choice with a full menu of activities too. The Cardboard Café, DJ and Doodle Booth proved to be crowd favourites, with families getting stuck into creative play. The Panna Football Cage was another big hit, drawing in keen footballers of all ages who queued up throughout the day to test their skills, show off their footwork and enjoy a bit of World Cup-inspired competition. There were also brilliant street theatre acts, who kept crowds entertained throughout the day. Octopot, a giant purple octopus, delighted visitors by playfully squirting water at unsuspecting passers-by, while Rat Choc Chip, pedalled through the crowds on an ice cream bike, serving up plenty of quirky surprises…and a few double takes along the way!

Over on the main stage, the entertainment was nothing short of a showstopper. Ashford’s own DJ Sam Griffin kept the feel-good festival vibes flowing, while a brilliant mix of local talent delivered high-energy performances throughout the day.

Highpoints included standout routines from L2D Studio, Theatretrain Ashford and Blue Phoenix Productions, alongside crowd favourites Ashford Salsa, who brought an interactive workshop that turned Elwick Place into an open-air fiesta. Food and drink took centre stage too, with Kokoro Ashford serving up a live sushi-making demonstration, and Valerie’s Wine Bar shaking things up with cocktail demonstrations (and tastings) that proved a real crowd favourite.

There was also live music, which kept the atmosphere flowing, with sets from The Rec, Fred Clark Music and The Creaks, delivering everything from modern hits to classic favourites, it was the perfect soundtrack to a sunny afternoon.

One of the day’s sweetest highlights came courtesy of a very special visit from Buzz Lightyear and Jessie, who delighted families and added an extra dash of magic to an already unforgettable day.

The festival also marked the grand finale of the Jellycat Trail, which had been running throughout June. Deputy Mayor, Councillor Heather Hayward, announced the lucky winner on the day - Scarlet, aged 13 - who is a self-confessed Jellycat fanatic, so we know all seven cheeky Jellycats have gone to a very good home!

And the celebrations didn’t stop there… rewind to Friday night, where we hosted our sold-out Evening with Wine Garden of England! Guests raised a glass (or two!) to nine locally produced wines, perfectly paired with delicious food from Eastwell Manor: a recipe for a fantastic evening, and a great way to kick-start the weekend. 

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Heather Hayward, said:
"What a weekend! It was fantastic to see Ashford Town Centre so full of life, with people coming together to eat, drink, shop and celebrate everything that makes our town special. Events like this really show Ashford at its very best."

A huge thank you goes to everyone who came along and made the day so memorable. 

Special thanks also to headline sponsor Ashford Designer Outlet for their continued support, and to the brilliant Love Ashford team, whose hard work behind the scenes brought the whole event together so seamlessly.

All in all, it was a weekend packed with flavour, full of fun, and one that truly showcased the heart of Ashford.