Food festival cooks up large crowds

Staff and students enticed visitors to Welwyn Garden City with their annual Food Festival, held in the town centre.

WELWYN GARDEN CITY — On Saturday 17 May, Oaklands College staff and students enticed visitors to Welwyn Garden City with their annual Food Festival, held in the town centre.

Now in its fifth year and fourth occasion in Welwyn Garden City, Oaklands College – in collaboration with Welwyn Garden City Town Centre Partnership – invited local restaurants and food caterers to cook up unusual and exciting dishes for visitors to try.

This year’s Food Festival featured over 30 different food stalls from Indian to Spanish and German to Caribbean as well as the College’s very own Hospitality and Catering team selling sweet chilli chicken kebabs and homemade burgers – all of which proved extremely popular. Different jams and chutneys were available to try and buy with a popular freshly squeezed lemonade stall to wash it all down with.

Cooking demonstrations took place throughout the day, showing visitors how to cook popular dishes from lamb kofte to soda bread and meringue roulade to sticky lemon chicken.

Crowds were drawn to the main stage with local radio station BOB FM introducing entertainment including Asian drumming, Salsa singing, and Bollywood dancing as well as the College’s very own Music and Performing Arts students who showcased their talents.

Along with the myriad of food, craft stalls were also selling an array of goodies from clothes, jewellery and summer hats. Visitors also had the chance to have their hands manicured and face painted by the College’s Beauty and Childcare departments.

The return of last year’s Kaleidoscope Zone, with cultural games, African drummers and more arts & crafts, proved a popular area for young families.

Zoe Hancock, Principal of Oaklands College, commented: “It was fantastic to see so many different cultures being celebrated at our Food Festival, each year the event brings a real sense of community.

“I would like to thank the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council for their support, the fantastic food stalls, the entertainers, the staff and most importantly the visitors that made the day a fantastic success.”

Find out about our Hospitality & Catering courses.

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