A Feast of Flavours, Foodie Stars, and Family Fun! Discover FoodFest at Chris Evans’ CarFest

Food lovers, get your napkins at the ready! FoodFest is returning t Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire from 22nd to 24th August, where Atul Kochhar, Si King, Rosemary Shrager, Glynn Purnell and many more will be cooking up a storm this year.

Get ready for the return of CarFest presented by bp pulse, the UK’s largest family-fundraising festival! This unique fusion of six distinctive yet iconic festivals, coming together for one extraordinary weekend, is a must for families, car enthusiasts and festival fans alike.

This year's FoodFest, CarFest’s food and drink extravaganza, promises to be a feast for all the senses. The festival brings together world-class chefs, BBQ legends, artisan producers and passionate food lovers to celebrate all things culinary. From gastronomic geniuses to sizzling BBQ masters, FoodFest is a unique opportunity for foodies and home cooks alike to dive into a delicious world of flavours, skills, and inspiration.

The Chef’s Stage prepped & served by Cuisinart, will be hosted by Briony May Williams, who’ll lead live cooking demonstrations featuring an impressive roll call of culinary TV chefs including Atul Kochhar, Lisa Goodwin-Allen, Glynn Purnell, Michael Caines, and Rosemary Shrager. 

Joining these culinary stalwarts will be a host of celebrity chefs new to CarFest including Judy Joo, Kwoklyn Wan and Thuy Hoang and Cherish Finden. They'll be providing top tips, seasonal recipes and insights into their creative processes. With Q&A sessions for guests to ask burning culinary questions, this is a must-visit for food lovers.

Mark Wogan, host of food podcast Spooning, and Great British Bake Off winner, Candice Brown will be joining forces to host some lively chats with some of the visiting celebrity chefs at The Kitchen Table with Cuisinart. They’ll be joined by guests including Glynn Purnell, Si King and Molly Robbins. Expect heartwarming tales, culinary tips and some behind-the-scenes stories.

BBQ lovers, fire up your appetite! The Big BBQ Cookout with Napoleon Grills and hosted by barbecue superstars Sam and Shauna is back with some fiery new guests. Stepping up to the grill will be Nathan ‘Big Nath’ Ritchie, Francesco Mattana, Steve Guy, and brothers Brendon and Jaydon, creators of Lumberjaxe’s BBQ sauces. Get up close to the action and take home some tips to master your own grill.

The Cook’s Companion, curated by food journalist Ellen Manning, brings a host of hands-on foodie workshops to FoodFest. Whether you’re keen to make the perfect pastry or get to grips with your air fryer, these expert-led sessions offer practical guidance from the likes of Food Unwrapped’s Kate Quilton, air-fryer expert Clare Andrews, kids food supremo Emily Leary, and award-winning bread maker, Richard Bertinet.

Shopping and snacking go hand in hand, and FoodFest delivers with the return of Britain’s Best Farmers’ Market and The Great Taste Market. Discover the best of British produce, from handmade cheeses to small-batch sauces. 

The Tipple Tents will offer a selection of expert-led tastings and food pairing masterclasses, designed to expand your drinks knowledge whether you're a wine enthusiast or gin aficionado. Book into the Domaine des Jeanne wine tasting session, led by wine expert Denise Douet, to sample exquisite wines from the South of France. 

Over at the BarFest Arms, hosted by Timothy Taylor’s, guests can sit back and sip on award-winning ales, wines, and spirits while enjoying live music from The Wigwam Stage. Featuring an eclectic mix of emerging artists and nostalgic tribute acts, it’s the perfect soundtrack to a laid-back afternoon with a cold drink in hand. And as the sun sets, The Chef’s Stage turns into a Silent Cinema, where kids can wind down with headphones to watch family-friendly films, while grown-ups keep relaxing a stone’s throw away.

And for the ultimate foodie indulgence? Don’t miss The CarFest Supper Club. This one-of-a-kind dining experience sees top chefs coming together to create unforgettable menus for an intimate evening under the stars.

And what would CarFest be without a star-studded line-up? Leading this year’s bill are pop sensation Rita Ora and pop-rock legends Busted, delivering high-energy, hit-packed performances. They’re joined by Tom Walker, Madness, Travis, and the iconic Lightning Seeds, plus Sam Ryder, Squeeze, Seasick Steve, and Rick Parfitt Jnr. With even more names like Kim Wilde, The Boomtown Rats, Reef, and Kimberly Wyatt’s Don’t Cha Disco, it’s a weekend packed with feel-good music and festival vibes.

Now in its 13th year, CarFest promises an even bigger celebration, offering visitors so much more than just cars with six festivals and one big party every evening, all in one epic location: FoodFest, KidsFest, RetroFest, SpaFest, StarFest,and, of course, cars at CarFest! 

Whether you're a foodie seeking gastronomic inspiration, a car lover searching for a high-speed thrill, or just eager to soak up wisdom from celebrities and wellness experts or cuddling Duggee and Bluey at Pudsey’s Spot in KidsFest, CarFest presented by bp pulse, caters to every passion. Tickets are currently on sale at www.carfest.org

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Editors notes

CarFest is the brainchild of radio presenter Chris Evans. Featuring an incredible combination of cars, food, live music and family entertainment, the inaugural weekend event was staged at Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire in August 2012.

Fundraising details: All profits from CarFest, including a percentage of the price of each ticket, will be donated to UK children’s charities. 

●      BBC Children in Need (a charity registered in England and Wales under number 802052 and in Scotland under number SC039557) will receive 50% of the total funds raised. 

●      The following six charities will each receive 7% of the total funds raised: 

○      Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust (Registered Charity No.1096491 in England & Wales and SCO44013 in Scotland)

○      Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity (Registered Charity No. 1070532) 

○      Starlight Children’s Foundation (Registered Charity No.1062559 in England & Wales and SC039757 in Scotland) 

○      Teenage Cancer Trust (Registered Charity No.1062559 in England & Wales and SC039757) 

○      Young Epilepsy (Registered Charity No. Charity 311877 in England & Wales). 

●      Local Hampshire based hospice, Naomi's House & Jacksplace (Registered Charity No.1002832), will receive 2% of funds. 

●      The remaining 6% will be donated to a number of other charities that will be confirmed over the coming months, including charities local to CarFest event sites. 

2025 HEADLINE PARTNER: bp pulse

bp pulse is bp’s electric vehicle (EV) charging business. It is one of the leading rapid and ultra-fast public EV charging networks in the UK and operates one of the largest number of sites with ultra-fast charging in Germany.

Focused on fast, reliable charging, bp pulse is rolling out charge points to consumers wherever they need them: destination, on-the-go and bp forecourts.

EV charging is one of the key growth engines driving bp's transformation to an integrated energy company. The company aims to grow its network of public EV charging points by 2030 to over 100,000 worldwide.

bp’s here for your travel needs – mostly with petrol and diesel – but bp pulse already has over 3000 rapid and ultra-fast charging points

2025 FEATURE PARTNERS 

●      CarFest is supported by a number of key partners: 

●      Cuisinart is the Official Food Experiences Partner incorporating The Chef’s Stage, The Kitchen Table and The Cook’s Companion 

●      Napoleon Grills is sponsor of The Big BBQ Cookout 

●      Timothy Taylor’s is the Official Beer Partner and hosts the BarFest Arms at the festival 

●      Prestige Flowers is the Official Floral Partner and Sponsor of The Designer Village   

●      Michelin - Protyre Autocare is the Official Track, Paddock & Driver’s Lounge Partner

●      Westcourt Retreat is the Official Premium Lounge Partner 

●      Mazda is The Official StarFest Stage and Club CarFest Partner 

SUPPORTED BY: 

●      Aspall is the Official Cider Partner 

●      Coca Cola is the Office Soft Drinks Partner

●      Domaine Des Jeanne is the Official Wine Partner 

●      Staropramen is the Official Lager Partner 

●      Village Hotels is the Official Hotel Partner 

●      Virgin Radio UK is the Official Media Partner 

●      Nirvana Spa is the Inspiration Hub Partner