Sunday saw a celebration of good food and great company, as the much-loved Community Feast made its anticipated come-back. 

Last held in 2019, the very first Feast took place in 1999. The ambience of the occasion was warm and inviting with rows of trestle tables set out in the beautiful Victorian Market Hall - a hub of the community and haven for foodies. 

This set-up was mirrored in this year’s event, with the addition of table-top artists’ decorations commissioned by Peak Cymru providing the finishing touch. In addition, organisers of the event provided a fabulous annual Festival installation (theme being kitchen gardens) created by Bettina Reeves and team, which hung from the rafters.

The event is usually held on the Thursday evening before the much acclaimed Food Festival. As the first daytime version, the Community Feast acted as a launch to the Festival rather than a day a part of the flurry of the Food Festival itself.

The day was a great success, bringing “lovely vibes” and families together in a glorious fashion. 

Organisers highlighted that the occasion was “all about conviviality and the sharing of good food with great local credentials.” 

The menu was a testament to the wonderful food options Abergavenny has on offer. Described as the “heroes of the event”, Angel Bakery provided all the food for the event in their massive cooking ovens, with people of the community giving up their Sunday to help with prep. 

The Angel Bakery’s fantastic menu included bread and oil, slow-cooked shoulder of lamb, roast new potatoes, aioli and seasonal sides. Vegans and vegetarians were not to be forgotten however, as they got to enjoy an abundance of filo parcels. To complete the meal, people were treated to rhubarb trifle for dessert (with a vegetarian alternative.) 

Chesters Wine Merchants also ran a bar with a wide range reasonably priced bottles of wine for sale. 

Beyond this, the occasion was made all the more wonderful through the help of local suppliers, including: The Angel Hotel & Abergavenny Food Festival, Adam Sellar, Esther Joy, Arthur David, Belazu, Honeycomb Prit Services, Jacky Mills, Ian Mannall, Neil Powell Butchers, Paul’s Organic Veg, Raglan Dairy, Sam Soan, Watson & Pratt’s, Wye Valley Brewery.

Kim Waters, AFF Chief Exec commented, “The event worked to celebrate Abergavenny area: a close sense of community, our great food and hospitality story and yes the Festival too, which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary.

“The Feast was also an opportunity to say thank you to the many local people –  individuals and organisations – who have helped the Festival grow, including Abergavenny Town Council and Monmouthshire County Council (not least the team who manage the Market Hall).

“Community makes things happen - nothing happens without community support.”