Love Food Festival Returns to Wicksteed Park

If you love a good excuse to eat your body weight in street food while the kids run off steam, you’re going to want this one in the diary. Love Food, Kettering Town Council’s annual food festival, returns to Wicksteed Park on Sunday 30 August from 10am to 5pm, and it’s completely free to get in.

What is Love Food?

Love Food is Kettering Town Council’s celebration of local food, drink and produce, taking over the grounds at Wicksteed Park for the day. Expect street food traders, bakes, local produce stalls, live entertainment and demonstrations from the traders themselves. In previous years the festival has featured more than 40 food and drink traders, so there’s genuinely something for every taste, whether you’re after a proper feast or just fancy grazing your way around the stalls.

The full lineup of traders for this year hasn’t been released yet, but if you’ve been before you’ll know it’s usually a good mix of hot street food, sweet treats and local Northamptonshire producers.

Getting in and getting there

Entry to Love Food is free, which makes it an easy add to your weekend plans without blowing the budget. Wicksteed Park’s usual parking charges do still apply, so factor that into your day out. Wicksteed Park is on Barton Road in Kettering, just off the A14, so it’s an easy trip whether you’re coming from Kettering itself or further afield in Northamptonshire.

Also check out: Wicksteed Park’s Summer Adventures Are Back — Here’s What You Need to Know, if you fancy making a full day of it with the rides too.

My tips for visiting

• Bring cash as well as card, since smaller independent traders can sometimes have card machine issues on busy event days
• Go early if you want to beat the queues at the most popular stalls
• Wicksteed Park has plenty of green space if you want to grab your food and find a spot to sit as a family
• Combine it with a wander round the rest of the park if the weather’s on your side

The details in this guide are based on information published by Kettering Town Council at the time of writing. Trader lineups, times and details can change, so it’s always worth checking the official Kettering Town Council website before you head off.

If you want more brilliant days out like this dropping straight into your inbox, my weekly what’s on newsletter rounds up the best family events across Northamptonshire so you’re never stuck for weekend plans. And if you’re after more inspiration, my guide to things to do in Northamptonshire for families is worth a bookmark too.