SHAFTESBURY Food Festival returns over the May bank holiday weekend with a programme that ranges from a food trail visiting some of the area’s most interesting food producers and businesses to demonstrations by former MasterChef winners and finalists – appropriate timing as the competition returns with its new presenters, Grace Dent and Anna Haugh.

Once again, the festival transforms the historic hilltop town into a buzzy celebration of the best of Dorset’s food culture. The 2026 event is not just inviting visitors to enjoy exciting chefs showcasing local food, and a bustling market where they can buy it for themselves, but offering the opportunity to experience it first-hand, connecting directly with the people, places and produce that shape one of the country;’s most exciting food regions, from field and vineyard to kitchen and table.

Brought to life by a volunteer-led team from Shaftesbury & District Chamber of Commerce, with support from Shaftesbury Town Council and The Kitchen Table Dorset bookshop, the festival is rooted in the community, rich in provenance and with an unmistakable sense of place.

The opening night Friday 1st May is an already sold-out Great Food quiz at Sorelle, the farm-based cafe at Motcombe. Hosted by locally-based private chef and regular television food presenter Philippa Davis and Carolyn Hopkins, the cheesemonger famed for her iconic 1969 Citroen HY Truckle Truck van, the evening brings together locals and visitors in a lively, convivial start that sets the tone for the days ahead.

On Saturday 2nd, the festival looks outside Shaftesbury to some of the finest food businesses who will be opening their doors for the first Shaftesbury Food Festival Food Trail. Head out into the beautiful landscape of North Dorset and the Blackmore Vale, for this new event, which has free entry for all.

This self-guided journey offers rare access to producers, farms and makers that shape Dorset’s food identity. Visitors are invited behind the scenes for tastings, conversations and a deeper understanding of the craft behind the region’s most distinctive flavours.

Participating locations include: Sorelle Dorset at Motcombe, Compton McRae at Semley, Madjeston Milk Station & Animal Park, Primrose Organic Produce at Marshall, Gold Hill Organic Farm at Child Okeford, Stoate & Sons’ historic Cann Mills, just south of Shaftesbury on the A350, Sprigs Co at Pythouse Kitchen Garden near Tisbury, Dorset Blue Vinny at Woodbridge Farm, near Stock Gaylard, Olives Et Al at Sturminster Newton, and Breezy Ridge Vineyard, off the A350 near Melbury Beacon.

The twin highlights of Sunday’s programme are the demonstrations by three Masterchef and the street market, where you can sample and buy many of the region’s most delicious products, from charcuterie to ice cream.

And then there is the eccentric heart of the event – the Gold Hill Cheese Race. As if the idea of running up that steep cobbled street isn’t enough, the competitors have to do it carrying 23kg truckles! This test of strength, stamina and very strong legs is the morning’s big event and not to be missed. Crowds line the cobbled hill to savour every moment of pure theatre that sets the tone for the day.

The programme on the Festival Stage starts at 11.30am, with the 2014 MasterChef champion Ping Coombes, whose demonstration will combine bold flavours and personal storytelling.

At 1pm, 2014 MasterChef finalist Anurag Aggarwal will be featuring dishes from his Indian heritage – he is the author of the cookbook Indian Made Easy.

Across the streets, more than 100 carefully curated food and drink producers create a vibrant open-air Street Market, showcasing artisan Dorset produce alongside international flavours, with an emphasis on quality, provenance and personality.

At 1pm, Anurag Aggarwal takes to the MasterChefs stage, continuing the culinary journey with contemporary flair and fresh perspective.

The third demonstration, at 2.30pm, features Shelina Permalloo, who in 2012 became the first woman of colour to win MasterChef. Now a well-known cookbook author, restaurateur and television chef, she specialises in the food of her native Mauritius.

At 2pm, Shaftesbury’s unique ancient tradition, the Byzant, begins at the Town Hall. The Byzant Ceremony, which dates back to 1364, takes its name from the ceremonial mace, which is usually on display in the town museum. Its significance relates to the precarious water supply which Shaftesbury suffered, with its hilltop position. The town had problems with a reliable water supply, until an agreement was reached with neighbouring Enmore Green, down the hill, to use their well water in return for some tribute including silver pennies, bread and ale. Traditionally, wildflower posies called Tussie Mussies are handed out for participants to carry on the walk down the ancient route to Enmore Green.

The street market runs all day, and there is live music, busking and entertainment, including the Steps in Time junior dancers, led by Penny-Jane Swift, bringing traditional Maypole dancing, colour and rhythm into the town centre.

Food sits alongside creativity and community throughout the weekend. At Shaftesbury Arts Centre, A Feast For The Eyes presents a colourful exhibition of food-inspired artwork by Maja Barker, Alison Turner, Joanne Rutter, Kate Toms, Becca Perl, Lucy Bentley and Charlotte Lorimer.

“Through painting, ceramics, sculpture and mixed media, this exhibition explores food as culture, craft and connection … not just what we eat, but how we gather, remember and express who we are, turning everyday ingredients into stories of place, people and imagination,” says sponsor Sarah Rudder of The Kitchen Table Dorset.

At The Grosvenor Arms, the children’s art competition will be on display throughout the day for visitors to enjoy, with prizegiving at 3pm. Families are also invited to take part in the Ingredients Hunt, exploring Shaftesbury’s independent food scene and uncovering hidden gems across participating shops.

For those worried about parking when the town centre is closed, there is dedicated Park & Ride at Port Regis School, with capacity for up to 600 cars – £5 per car. Advance booking available: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/park-and-ride-to-shaftesbury-food-festival-tickets-1987056807401

Pictured: The Byzant, usually on view in the town museum, Shelina Permalloo with her book Sunshine on a Plate and a previous Gold Hill cheese race.