Head to the 2026 New Forest Food Festival this August, a great event for foodies and families! Here, you can explore its artisan food market full of local and regional produce, eat at its scrumptious food pop-ups, see cooking demonstrations, enjoy live music, keep the kids entertained and much more.

Ready to explore what the New Forest Festival has to offer? You’ll find everything you need to know right here.

Where is New Forest Food Festival?

How do I get to New Forest Food Festival?

Getting to the New Forest Food Festival is simple with SWR, with easy rail connections and a smooth onward journey to the event. Trains run regularly, making it straightforward for visitors to reach the festival.

Travelling by train

Hinton Admiral  is the closest station to the festival - plan your journey with SWR. This station is served with regular trains from stations including Bournemouth, Southampton Central and Woking.

Explore our full range of ticket types to find the right one for your journey. You can find cheap train tickets by booking early or going off-peak, and if you have a Railcard or are travelling in a group, you could save even more.

Travelling from London

It’s easy to get to Hinton Admiral station from both London Waterloo and Clapham Junction – get a direct service and arrive in under 2 hours.

Things to see and do at New Forest Food Festival

Food and drink

Enjoy its range of food pop-ups serving up tex-mex, stone-fired pizzas, street food, traditional spit roasts, seafood and more. Cool down with an artisan iced coffee or treat yourself to handmade ice cream. Alongside the great food, you can also stop by the cookery demo stage, where local chefs share simple tips and recipe ideas you can try at home!

At its artisan market, you can buy a whole host of regional and local produce including bread, chilli jams, gluten free snacks and more.

Kids entertainment

This year sees a whole host of different children’s performers ready to keep the little ones entertained throughout the entire day. Kids can enjoy magic shows with Magical Alex, fun rides at Cole’s Funfair, colourful braids and hair tinsel from Braid Junkie. Face painting, glitter tattoos and balloons will also be available, something the kids won’t want to miss! With From garden games and craft activities to axe throwing with Planet Axe, there is something for all ages and interests at this years New Forest Food Festival.

Craft Market

At the craft market you’ll find beautiful textiles, unique gifts, and handmade jewellery. The market showcases work from local and regional crafters with a diverse selection of products on offer.

Over the weekend, the New Forest Food Festival hosts a brilliant mix of local performers on the main stage, creating a lively atmosphere to enjoy alongside your food and drinks. There’ll be live music from Carley Varley, Jemina & The Five and many more acts throughout the event. You can find the musician timetable here for more information. 

If you want to enjoy all of the above and much more, you can get your New Forest Food Festival Tickets here. Tickets to the festival are £10 for adults (£8 if you pre book!), and under 16s go free.

Things to do near New Forest Food Festival

The New Forest is well worth exploring while you’re in the area. Covering 220 square miles, you can see its vibrant wildlife, do some water sports, go on scenic bike rides and walks, and much more. 

It’s also worth visiting its nearby towns including Christchurch, and Lymington. Take the train to Bournemouth to explore its miles of golden sandy beaches and food and drink hotspots.

Don’t forget to check out SWR Rewards for money off activities, food, and drink deals.

Where to stay in the New Forest

There’s a small, family-friendly campsite located next to the New Forest Food Festival. The festival has teamed up with In Nature Camping, a tenant of the Hinton Admiral Estate, to offer a peaceful popup site just a short stroll from the event. Camping bookings are now open, making it easy to stay close by and unwind with some marshmallows after a day at the festival. 

For a luxury option, see if one of these gorgeous holiday cottages tickle your fancy - named The Retreat, you can enjoy holistic therapies, classes, and stroll through its ancient woods and lawns.

There are also a range of luxury and affordable options in the New Forest and its surrounding towns to choose from, from bed and breakfasts and self-catering cottages to glamping spots, holiday parks and more. Skip to the places to stay in the New Forest section of our dedicated New Forest guide to learn more.