Eats & Beats Serves Up a Memorable Weekend of Food and Live Music

Thousands of food and music lovers descended on Newcastle at the weekend as the popular Eats & Beats Festival returned to Donard Park on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September.

Set against the spectacular backdrop of the Mourne Mountains, the two-day festival brought together an exciting programme of live music, local food, cookery demonstrations and family entertainment, creating a vibrant festival atmosphere in the heart of Newcastle.

This year marked a new chapter for Eats & Beats, with ticketing introduced for the first time to help manage capacity and support the continued delivery of a safe and enjoyable visitor experience.

Food was once again at the heart of the festival, with more than 24 food vendors and 18 regional food producers showcasing a wide range of local flavours and artisan produce throughout the weekend.

The popular Cookery Demonstrations attracted food lovers across both days, with Paul Cunningham hosting the programme and also cooking live. He was joined by Jenny Bristow, Suzie Lee, Paula McIntyre, Adam Morrison, Ryan Harrison and Bradley Webster, who shared recipes, cooking tips and culinary inspiration with festival audiences.

Music fans were treated to more than 24 live performances across the Homegrown and World stages, with a diverse programme spanning pop, rock, country, punk, blues, ska, reggae and international sounds. The weekend line-up included D:Ream, Eric Bell & When Ireland Rocked, JC Stewart, Lisa McHugh, Muireann Bradley, Anna’s Number and Taylor Lally, alongside World Stage performances from The Skallions, Magwere, Baile An Salsa, Havana Roots, Manouche and more. Families also enjoyed entertainment and activities throughout the weekend, including the Kids Zone and Curious Minds Experience.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Glyn Hanna said, “It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying Eats & Beats and the fantastic atmosphere in Newcastle over the weekend. The festival is a brilliant showcase for the quality and diversity of our local food and drink offering, while bringing together an exciting mix of musical talent and family entertainment.

“Events such as Eats & Beats play an important role in attracting visitors to the area, supporting our local businesses and showcasing Newcastle and the wider Mourne Gullion Strangford destination. I would like to thank everyone who attended, along with our chefs, performers, producers, traders, local businesses, event partners, staff and everyone involved in making the weekend such a success.”

Festival wristbands also allowed visitors to leave and re-enter Donard Park up until 5pm each day, giving festivalgoers the flexibility to explore Newcastle and enjoy the town’s shops, cafés, restaurants and wider visitor offering during their stay.

Eats & Beats forms part of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s programme of events designed to attract visitors, support the local tourism and hospitality sector and showcase the breadth of experiences available across Mourne Gullion Strangford.

For more information and inspiration on visiting Mourne Gullion Strangford, visit visitmournegullionstrangford.com.