The Carlow Culinary Christmas Food and Drink Festival returns this year to the George Bernard Shaw Theatre at VISUAL in Carlow Town from 7th-9th December.

Details of the festival were announced at a launch event last week when Chathaoirleach William Paton was joined by Chief Executive of Carlow County Council , Kathleen Holohan , Head of Enterprise Kieran Comerford , Visual Chief Executive – Ann Mulrooney and Food Producers from across the County.

The festival is organised by Carlow County Council’s – Local Enterprise Office in partnership Visual & Carlow Tourism.

Now in its third year, the three-day event showcases the best food and drink produce Carlow has to offer. The festival will feature nightly stalls and giveaways, with each visitor getting a free bag of recipes, including local delicacies and cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs.

 Producers including farmers, market traders and food and drink business owners from all over the county will display their products at the many stalls on view over the course of the weekend. This year the show includes stands from Bombay Diner; Silver Spear Gin; Coolattin Cheese; The Tea Rooms at Duckett's Grove; Bolton Family Jams; The Forge; Carlow Farmers Market; Gaelic Escargot; Walsh Whiskey Distillery; Arboreteum GC; Seerys; Studio at Ballyshane;Our Back Garden to name just a few.

 Master chefs

There will also be an opportunity to learn from the cookery masters. At the heart of the Christmas Food and Drink Festival will be cooking demonstrations by professional chefs. Demonstrations will take place every evening from 7:45 pm and will be presented by Neven Maguire on Thursday, Kevin Dundon on Friday and Catherine Fulvio on Saturday.

Neven Maguire is the owner of the MacNean House & Restaurant in Blacklion, Co Cavan. Now one of Ireland’s top restaurants and luxury guest houses, the hotel recently won ‘Best Restaurant’ and ‘Best Customer Service’ at the All-Ireland Irish Restaurant Awards 2017.

Catherine Fulvio is one of Ireland’s most celebrated female chefs. As well as an author, Catherine is a columnist and has made many television appearances in recent years both on RTE and BBC. She is a third-generation owner and manager at Ballyknocken House and Cookery School, a farmhouse B&B and cookery school.

Kevin Dundon is the owner and chef of Dunbrody Country House Hotel and Restaurant in Co Wexford and is considered to be one of Ireland’s premier hotels and restaurants. Kevin also runs a cookery school and has appeared on many cookery programmes such as TV3’s Today Show and BBC’s Saturday Kitchen as both chef and panellist.

Speaking at the Launch , Kathleen Holohan , Chief Executive of Carlow County Council said “Carlow County Council is delighted to be driving Carlow’s Culinary Christmas as a unique event in the South East over the Christmas period” Holohan continued to say “this event gives us a great opportunity to showcase the wonderful depth and breath of talent that our food and drink producers have”.

The festival takes place from the 7^th-9^th December at the George Bernard Shaw Theatre VISUAL, Carlow.

Cookery demonstration: Thursday 7^th – Neven Maguire

                                       Friday 8^th – Kevin Dundon

                                       Saturday 9^th – Catherine Fulvio

Doors open at 7pm. Each demonstration begins at 7:45pm.

Tickets are €14 per event and include a free bag of recipes and free products from County Carlow.

For more information (including list of stalls) and bookings, visitwww.visualcarlow.ie

Carlow Culinary Christmas is funded by Carlow County Council & Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

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For further information contact Kieran Comerford on 086/8252037 or e-mail kcomerford@carlowcoco.ie