We are delighted to welcome you all to two weeks of mouthwatering festivities which take inspiration from around the world while being truly rooted in our local community, combining the skills of the very best professional chefs, traders, suppliers and growers with the incredible passion and dynamism of our team of volunteers who are the heart and soul of the festival.
In addition to our usual favourite events and some delightful new gastronomical feasts, this year’s programme is a truly creative delight, reflecting the imagination, talent and originality of our local foodies and artists alike. Festival-goers of all ages can get stuck in with films, lino carving, storytelling and story writing, table-top gaming, live animation or life drawing all with a consumable twist.
Our passion has always been about supporting people to realise their dreams and harness their talents and this year through our Foodie Start-Up Competition we hope to give a new business the chance to move their vision one step closer to reality.
To us SFF is about much more than food – it is about the joy of friendship, laughter, creativity and play.
Whether a longstanding Surbiton citizen or here on a flying visit, friends, food and fun are to be had wherever you look over our festival fortnight.
The Community Brain and all of the Surbiton Food Festival team.
The Surbiton Village Fête
A celebration of the enormous diversity offered by our local community.
With stalls dotted across St Andrew’s Square, punters have the freedom to sample almost any food they can think of, with a strong musical line up of local bands and artists providing the soundtrack. Meanwhile a wide range of businesses will be running demonstrations and workshops for adults and children, while everyone has a means of getting involved through the huge range of culinary competitions listed within.
Of course, we couldn’t have all of this without the finest brewers in town having their say. The Lamb, The Antelope, and The Black Lion have joined forces to deliver London’s only Dry-Hopped Beer Festival, serving a beautiful range of ales, all from CAMRA-recognised Local Suppliers and with all profits going to charity.
Saturday 18th – Sunday 19th September
12 pm – 6 pm
St Andrews Square, KT6 4EA18
Seething Super Sunday
Formerly the Seething Freshwater Sardine Festival, this event is ordinarily held in May. Owing to our move of this event to September this year, we cannot proceed with our catch. Clearly it is completely the wrong season for freshwater sardines to be caught in the Thames.
Never to be dispirited, Seething villagers are keen to celebrate the tradition of the festival as Seething Super Sunday this year. It is sad that we cannot partake of one of Surbiton’s finest and most ancient traditions, but we resolve to celebrate our local legends and fishermen with renewed pride and vigour.
Expect music, food, fun and friendship taking its usual place over the course of the day.
Bands and entertainment complement the fishy delights, arts and crafts help bring out the town’s creative side, and a well served bar ensures everyone is able to thank the town’s fisherman heroes by buying them a drink.
Sunday, 26th September 1 pm – 6 pm
Claremont Gardens, The Crescent KT6 4BN
- All-day [1.00pm – 6.00pm]: Food, stalls, entertainment & charity bar at Claremont Gardens
- 3.00 pm – The famous Mighty Catch at Queen’s Promenade by Raven’s Ait island
- 3.30 pm – Seething Villagers’ Sardine Procession from Queen’s Promenade to Claremont Gardens
- 4.00 pm – Sardine BBQ at Claremont Gardens
Seething Community Sports Day,
Picnic and Fun Dog Show
While the Surbiton Food Festival has ensured that most are now aware of the town’s awesome capacity for food, fun, and festivity, many still fail to appreciate the incredible level of sporting prowess found among the townspeople.
From the incredible athleticism and dexterity of our three legged racers to the ice-cool composure of our egg-and-spoonists, all the way to the head-turning aesthetic beauty of our male Drag Racers, the Seething Community Sports Day gives the public the chance to witness sporting elegance and achievement within a charming local atmosphere.
With each event ultimately dictating which of the village’s ancient guilds are declared the Seething Sports Stars – culminating in a spectacular town-wide Tug O’ War – anyone can come along and join in. Cheesemakers, Water Bearers, Taxidermists, or Talcum Miners – who will reign supreme?
Sports events are complemented by the obligatory brilliant stalls, entertainment, and bar, while the Fun Dog Show presents canines the opportunity to enter the spirit of friendly competition.
Saturday 2nd October 12 pm – 4 pm
Victoria Recreation Ground, Balaclava Road, KT6 5JL
