Four free days at Bolton Food & Drink Festival

Bolton Food & Drink Festival will run in Bolton town centre from Friday 28 August to Monday 31 August 2026. Entry is free, and the public event is aimed at families and visitors looking for food, live entertainment and activities across the Bank Holiday weekend.

Bolton Council confirmed the dates and programme details as the festival prepares to return for its 21st year. Daily opening and closing times were not included in the announcement.

Four days of food and family activities in Bolton

The festival brings artisan stalls, chef demonstrations, live music and family activities into the town centre. Visitors do not need an admission ticket, although separate booking information for individual activities was not provided.

The central practical details are:

• Dates: Friday 28 August to Monday 31 August 2026
• Venue: Bolton town centre
• Entry: Free public event
• Audience: General visitors and families

The four-day format gives visitors scope to build a trip around the parts of the programme that interest them, from regional chefs and artisan markets to children’s crafts and community stands.

Chef demonstrations, pasties and a free omelette activity

Food remains at the centre of the programme. Carrs Pasties will return to its usual festival location with its standard range and a limited-edition chicken fajita pasty created for the 2026 event. Visitors will also be introduced to the company’s new character, Patsy the Pasty.

Peel Land, named as the festival’s headline sponsor, will host a free omelette-making activity for young people in partnership with Urban Outreach. The new Visit Bolton area, positioned next to the regional chefs, will showcase activities from local businesses and distribute the next edition of the Insider’s Handbook.

Market Place will provide free craft activities for children alongside live music, artisan markets, food and entertainment. Its programme is designed to offer families another place to pause while remaining within the wider festival setting.

Community stands add games, jobs and local travel advice

Several partner areas will offer activities beyond food and drink. Stateside Foods plans to display current recruitment vacancies, distribute goodie bags and run its pizza oven competition. Active Bolton will present its community activities with games, competitions and treats.

Transport for Greater Manchester will be present around the festival site with information about cycling and walking routes. Its team will also discuss bike libraries, cycle training and maintenance sessions, local walking groups and active travel, although the announcement does not set out specific journey or parking arrangements for the event.

Visitors will also be able to share views with CBRE about the Crompton Place development and possible temporary uses of Victoria Square for pop-up events, markets and community activities. Vehicle displays from Chorley Group and Vertu Ford Bolton form another part of the partner programme.

Details to check before travelling

The supplied announcement does not list daily opening times or dedicated accessibility arrangements. Visitors who need those details should consult the festival’s official channels before setting out; Bolton Council directs readers to the event website and its Facebook, X and Instagram accounts.

AtheneNet’s Bolton festival planning guide provides another overview of the four-day event. The confirmed programme runs through Monday 31 August in Bolton town centre, with free entry throughout the Bank Holiday festival.

Source: Bolton Council News