Calling all Sheep (and food) lovers…
Food features and family fun are top of the agenda at the free event Sheep 2018: Farm To Fork, taking place in Athenry on Saturday the 7th of July.
This year, to tie in with Galway having been awarded the European Region of Gastronomy designation, there will be a significant emphasis on food. This will be hosted in a specially designated Food Village.
Programme Coordinator for Galway ERoG, Elaine Donohue, said, “We are very excited to have such a unique showcase taking place in Athenry.
Our theme for the year is ‘From the ground up, feeding our future’, so we are encouraging people to get out and learn more about our food industry. It is important not to miss these opportunities to learn and engage at primary level so come along to Sheep 2018 for a family-friendly experience.”
Top television cook Catherine Fulvio is lined up to present two one-hour demonstrations on cooking lamb at 12 noon and 2pm. Lamb butchery demonstrations will also take place at 11am and 3pm.
A local food showcase will feature more than 20 producers from Galway and the West of Ireland. The Galway Gastronomy Van will be on-site delivering demonstrations and showcases from all of the producers with a full schedule for the day.
Health and nutrition as well as food waste are key messages at Sheep 2018: Farm To Fork with opportunities to meet awareness group Croí and the Food Waste Team’s recycling ambassador.
Galway 2020’s Project Baa Baa, led by Galway cheesemonger Seamus Sheridan, will be making its first appearance at Sheep 2018: Farm To Fork where it will be launched. Activities and demonstrations will include uilleann pipe music, sheep shearing, wool spinning, hand weaving and knitting as well as curing and smoking meats.
The county’s food heritage will be showcased with displays by local community groups, the Galway Gastronomy Heritage Project and the Irish Workhouse Centre in Portumna. Craft workshops will be led by Loughrea Craft Club and craft maker Melanie Loren who works with straw. Music, song and dance seisiúns will take place at 10:30am, 12.30pm and 1.45pm, finishing with a céilí mór from 4pm until 5pm.
Expect a fantastic line-up of fun children’s entertainment, too, in the form of stilt walkers, tight rope walking and spinning plates. Or learn to milk a cow, or take a photo with some giant sheep.
Alongside this year’s Food Village, other attractions will include commercial exhibitors, sheep breed competitions and displays, as well as demonstrations of sheepdog training.
