Weekender: Taste the delights of historic market’s big foodie event
This weekend will be a veritable feast for foodies as Leeds Kirkgate Market is set for two big events.
First up is the third annual Indian Food Festival, which will take place in the Market Kitchen. Established by Dipti Bhise and Vidya Venkatesh in 2017, the festival is a celebration of the glorious flavours of Indian cuisine.
Bhise and Venkatesh believe in showcasing talented home cooks and giving back to the community through fund raising, while also having fun.
Venkatesh said: “Our first festival was something we set up on a small scale to raise funds for an organisation called ‘Feed the Hungry’ but soon grew stronger in its second year when we saw an overwhelming response from food lovers which helped us raise funds for LCF (Leeds Community Foundation) and Kerala Relief.
“This year we aim to raise funds for Freedom4girls and Udhavum Ullangal (Helping Heart), a NGO from India.”
The festival will feature over 30 stalls which will all be selling unique produce celebrating a different region of Indian. No two stalls will have the same produce, meaning there will be an opportunity to sample a huge variety of traditional Indian food.
The Indian Food Festival will run from 10am to 5pm on Saturday 28 September. And there will be entertainment from a local Bollywood Dance and Music group at 1.30pm and 3pm (subject to change).
The second event is a celebration of Vegan food which will take place on the outdoor market on the Sunday.
Vegan Markets UK (VMUK) started in 2016 as a single market in Cambridge, and has quickly grown to over 20 vegan markets annually across the UK. This will be its first visit to Leeds where it will be showcasing the best of the best in vegan businesses from around the country – from niche independent companies, to larger well known organisations.
The organisation is on a mission to make veganism accessible and inclusive for everyone. There will be a host of mouth-watering food stalls, eye-opening lifestyle brands and much more.
Lewis Beresford, VMUK’s Founder and Managing Director said: “We are so excited to bring our vegan market to Leeds. We work across the UK with leading vegan brands from a number of industries; from food and sweet treats, to clothing and beauty goods.
“We are also working with many local traders at the market and can’t wait to give them the platform they deserve to showcase all their goods.”
The Vegan Festival will run from 10.30am to 4pm on Sunday 29 September at the Leeds Kirkgate Market outdoor market.
Councillor Asghar Khan, Leeds City Council’s deputy executive member with responsibility for markets, said: “Since opening in 2016 our Event Space has been thriving, we are pleased the Indian Food Festival has chosen our venue to hold its amazing event for the second time.
“Last year proved a huge success with over 35,000 visitors coming through the door. We are also thrilled that Vegan Markets UK has chosen Leeds outdoor market as a new destination for its popular market.”
