27 May 2024
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
The Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival is ready to serve up a feast on Saturday 15 June 2024
West Cork’s hotly anticipated Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival is back on Saturday 15 June 2024 and promises to be another jam-packed, gastronomic weekend, set to impress the ultimate culinary aficionado. The colourful streets come alive as rows of tables line Pearse Street to create Clonakilty’s biggest outdoor dining experience, with live entertainment throughout the day.
The family friendly food festival, now in its sixth year, is West Cork’s hottest meal ticket and is expected to serve up another fabulous and unforgettable feast for thousands of foodies, with seating for up to 600 people at a time.
Clonakilty’s award-winning restaurants, food producers and suppliers all come together for one day a year in June to cook up and serve their tantalising, seasonal dishes to suit a diverse range of tastes. Served as street food, diners can choose two main dishes from multiple food vendors that includes anything from Indian curries to locally sourced seafood dishes, all topped off with a selection of wines and desserts.
This year’s mouth-watering weekend will include a special-guest appearance by celebrity chef Kevin Dundon. Known for his television appearances across Ireland, the UK and further afield, including shows like Guerrilla Gourmet and Heat, he has also cooked for The Queen, former presidents, and celebrities. Kevin and his wife Catherine have managed Dunbrody Country House in Wexford for over 25 years, which also houses the Dunbrody Cookery School.
The renowned Irish chef will officially open the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival food tent ahead of the food service, which will begin at 3pm on Saturday 15 June.
Speaking at the carnival launch Kevin Dundon said, “It’s a real pleasure to be a part of the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival this year. Clonakilty is a fabulous town, with great community spirit, and a wealth of local food producers and restaurants who will be involved in the cooking for the day. I’m very much looking forward to sampling the menu on offer and learning more about the culinary delights that Clonakilty and West Cork has to offer.”
Irish Yogurts Clonakilty is celebrating 30 years in business this year, and as the lead sponsor of the event, Managing Director Diarmuid O’Sullivan says, “We are extremely excited to have Kevin Dundon with us on the day to celebrate the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival. We hope to showcase the wonderful talents that Clonakilty has, shining a light on the town as a popular tourist destination, and as the country’s leading artisan food producing region. We’d like to thank everyone who is involved in creating this fantastic event, from the volunteers to the talented chefs and restaurants who turn up to create a fine selection of dishes for the many diners who come out to enjoy this wonderful day in Clonakilty.”
Ticket holders will get their culinary fix from the region’s most celebrated restaurateurs and food producers in Clonakilty. On the menu for 2024 will be delicious dishes served by The Emmet Hotel, Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa, Clonakilty Park Hotel, O’Donovan’s Hotel, The Alley Garden Bistro, Oak Fire Pizza, Casey’s Bar & Restaurant, Scannell’s, The Celtic Ross Hotel, The Pike Deli, The Little Island Resort and Wazzy Woo, featuring the finest local and seasonal produce with vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options available.
The spectacular al fresco dining experience will host an eclectic line-up of entertainment, with carnival style antics and live music free and accessible all day long. The award-winning June festival will also see the popular family fun zone open from 11am, as families can enjoy a variety of activities to suit all ages, including face-painting, bouncy inflatables, giant games, and an enclosed play area for toddlers.
Stilt walkers, magicians and jugglers will serenade diners, and headliners The Monks will kick-start the main stage events. Live music throughout the day is performed by Ceomhltas, The Clonakilty Brass Band, The Water Gypsies, The Blackapple Bastards and Andrew Whelton, at various central locations within the popular seaside town.
As the Wild Atlantic Way celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year, Clonakilty is a renowned tourist destination in West Cork and a go-to food destination, with the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival celebrating the very best the region has to offer. With many of Ireland’s artisan producers based in West Cork, the wealth of award-winning and internationally acclaimed food producers who hail from Clonakilty include Irish Yogurts Clonakilty, The Clonakilty Food Company and its signature Clonakilty Blackpudding, Shannonvale Foods, Clona Dairy, Clonakilty Distillery, and many more.
Food is served from 3pm – 5pm, and diners are encouraged to pre-book their tickets online at www.clonakilty.ie (booking fee included) to avoid disappointment. Dinner tickets are €20 for adults and €10 for children and can also be purchased at O’Donovan’s Hotel, Fuchsia Footwear and Kerr’s Bookshop in Clonakilty. Last servings are expected around 5pm, or until all food is sold out, therefore it is advisable to arrive early to the street dinner event.
