8 Edinburgh Food & Drink Festivals to Visit in October
You might want to note down that October is not the time to go sober or start a new diet – at least not if you live in Edinburgh! This wonderful autumn month is a true celebration of the food and drink scene in Edinburgh with many different festivals where you can sample the best the city and Scotland has to offer drink and food wise. We can’t wait! Keep scrolling to see which festivals you fancy attending and book your tickets now.
1. Gin Festival Edinburgh
- when: 6-8 October
- where: The Corn Exchange
- website: www.ginfestival.com/events/gin-festival-edinburgh-2017
Gin doesn’t seem to go out of fashion, and why would it?! This is a big UK-wide festival that’ll bring over 100 different gins from all over the world to Edinburgh – with a stall dedicated specifically to Scottish gin too. Apart from fabulous gin there will also be live music, food and talks from industry experts.
2. Edinburgh Cocktail Weekend
- when: 6-8 October
- where: various venues
- website: www.edinburghcocktailweekend.com
This is an exciting new festival that takes place for the first time this year. How does it work you might wonder? Well, you buy a £6 wristband, which will give you exclusive access to signature cocktails for only £4 at 50 of the city’s best cocktail bars. The wristband will also entitle you to free masterclasses and tastings, pop-up spaces and events and free entry to fabulous late night venues. This sounds like a recipe for a brilliant weekend!
3. Cocktails in the City
- when: 12-13 October
- where: The Mansfield Traquair
- website: www.cocktailsinthecity.com/events/edinburgh
If you didn’t drink enough cocktails during the weekend you should head to the “Sistine Chapel of Edinburgh” for the 5th ‘Cocktails in the City’-event! Tickets are £12 each, including a cocktail on arrival – additional cocktails are £6.50. Some of the city’s finest cocktail bars will be there showcasing their mixology skills, so don’t miss out!
4. Edinburgh Coffee Festival
- when: 14 October
- where: The Corn Exchange
- website: www.edinburghcoffeefestival.co.uk
We love that Edinburgh is home to so many independent coffee shops where you can get a great cup of coffee – and we also love that for the third year in a row there is a festival that celebrates the city’s vibrant coffee culture. Apart from amazing coffee and a range of exhibitors there will be demonstrations, interactive workshops and more!
5. Scotland Food & Drink Show
- when: 14-15 October
- where: Royal Highland Centre
- website: www.scotlandfoodanddrinkshow.co.uk
This is an event that showcases the best of the Scottish larder with interesting talks and demonstrations at the chef’s theatre, a children’s area to keep the little ones busy, a masterclass area to teach you the art of food and drink and a career’s area if you’re interested in working in the industry. Oh, and this event is free to enter.
6. Edinburgh Restaurant Festival (Moved to February 2018!)
- when: 16-29 October
- where: various venues
- website: www.edinevents.com/edinburgh-restaurant-festival
The Edinburgh Restaurant Festival takes place across the city, in dozens of excellent cafes and restaurants. On the menu will be exclusive tasting menus and offers at the participating eateries and other special restaurant events. The full programme will be announced soon!
7. Meats & Beats Festival
- when: 20-22 October
- where: Assembly Roxy
- website: www.meatsandbeats.co.uk
A food and music festival with a retro spin? Yup, this new festival combines meatylicious street food with beats from the past five decades – with the music changing decade every hour, starting with the 70s. Sounds like a great concept for a good night out with friends we think! Tickets range from £5 to £15.
8. Scottish Vegan Festival
- when: 22 October
- where: The Corn Exchange
- website: www.scottishveganfestival.com
There is something for everyone on this list – including the increasing number of vegans out there. The Scottish Vegan Festival celebrates delicious plant-based food with stalls packed with food and drink, cosmetics, campaigns etc. Tickets vary from only £3 to £15 for a VIP ticket which includes a goody bag of vegan products. It sounds like a great event to discover new, interesting foods!
Stay close to the food
If you’re visiting Edinburgh from out of town and need somewhere central to stay, we have plenty of affordable self catering apartments to choose from – all special and unique. One option is this gorgeous one bedroom home on the extremely central Frederick Street. With views over the rooftops this is a flat where you can escape the buzz of the city and digest your food in peace.
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