The feast from the east returns
Mouths are watering in East Cork right now as one of Munster’s biggest street food celebrations draws tantalisingly near.
From 1-6 September, fEast 2026 – East Cork’s Food & Drink Festival will transform Middleton into a wonderland of exquisite produce and unique dining experiences.
This year’s programme features a packed week of ticketed events, culminating in the much-loved fEast Street Festival on 6 September, when Midleton town centre.
A tasty proposition
Running throughout festival week is a programme of exclusive events hosted by some of the best-known restaurants, producers, and hospitality businesses in the region.
The week opens with the official fEast Launch Party at Midleton Distillery Experience on 1 September. As the week sizzles on, visitors can enjoy events like Coastal Seaweed Foraging with Samuel Arnold Keane on 3 September; a wine, cheese, and charcuterie tasting at Fota Island Resort, also on 3 September; and the Farm to Fork Dinner at Yellow Belly Farm on 5 September. The week will also include Irish tapas evenings throughout, live music, painting workshops, children’s baking sessions, a farmers’ market, and much more.
Additional events and experiences will continue to be announced as the full programme is finalised.
New experiences announced
As the programme takes shape, fEast has announced a fresh line-up of hands-on experiences, foraging adventures, and thought-provoking conversations celebrating the very best of East Cork’s food culture.
Food for Thought at the Midleton Distillery Experience brings three conversations and three perspectives together for one evening on 5 September, exploring food, flavour, and culture. The line-up spans Cork’s vibrant Central and South American food scene, a celebration of traditional Irish butchery and black pudding, and a spice talk and tasting with Arun Kapil of Green Saffron.
Also new this year is a series of events hosted by The Grumpy Bakers in Middleton, from a Thursday evening of sourdough and wine to a relaxed Saturday breakfast with mimosas. Then, on 6 September, the bakery will host Grumpy Taverna: A Foraged Feast, a pop-up event with Matt Szpak of Cork city restaurant The Glass Curtain, and chef-forager Epi Rogan, serving Greek taverna-inspired small plates made with wild ingredients foraged in East Cork, alongside natural wines and music from DJ Danilo.
The street festival returns
The festival reaches its grand finale on 6 September with the unmissable fEast Street Festival, easily one of the largest food celebrations in the region.
Visitors can expect an extensive line-up of artisan producers, street food vendors, and local businesses showcasing the very best of East Cork and beyond, all to the backing of festive live music.
From wood-fired pizza, gourmet sausages, and artisan coffee to handmade pastries, fresh pasta, Indian cuisine, Caribbean flavours, barbecue, ice cream, juices, local honey, goat’s cheese, and fermented foods, there will be something to tempt every palate. And for families visiting with young kids, this year’s Family Zone promises a full day of activities to keep the little one’s entertained. Activities include a children’s cooking workshops, an animal roadshow, face painting, LEGO, a treasure hunt, a Scouts activity tent, Zumba, and a street performance by the Wobbly Circus.