picture of Chapel and a festival from above

The Big Eat Festival

Home

Things to do

Day trips and breaks

Business Life

Local Highlights

South Western Railway April 23, 2026 4 min read

In this article, you'll learn the following:

When and where is The Big Eat Festival?
How do I get to The Big Eat Festival?
Things to see and do at The Big Eat Festival
Things to do near The Big Eat Festival
Where to stay in Netley?
The Big Eat Festival Accessibility

The Big Eat Festival is Hampshire’s premier street food festival. This non-profit event started in 2022 as a location to judge the Hampshire Street Food Awards, as judges wanted all the food traders in one location. They now support a number of local charities with donations, including local food banks. It is celebrating its 5th anniversary this year.

When and where is The Big Eat Festival?

The Big Eat Festival is taking place at the last weekend of May, from Saturday the 23rd to Monday the 25th2026, at The Royal Victoria Country Park in Netley, SO31 5RA. Starting at 10am every day, the festival ends at 8pm on the weekend, and 6 pm on Monday, the 25th May.

picture of Chapel and a festival from above

How do I get to The Big Eat Festival?

Travelling by train to Netley

Netley is the nearest station to the Royal Victoria Country Park. You can get to Netley station using SWR services from various stations, such as Southampton Central, Exeter St Davids, Weymouth, and Portsmouth Harbour.

Once you get to Netley station, it takes approximately 25 minutes to walk to the Big Eat Festival.

Travelling from London to Netley

From London, it takes less than 2 hours (approx. 1h40 minutes) to get to Netley’s train station. You can travel to Netley with South Western Railway from several London stations, including Waterloo, and Clapham Junction.

If departing from Waterloo, you’ll need to change train at Southampton.

If travelling from Clapham Junction, you’ll need to change at Fratton before continuing to Netley.

Explore our full range of ticket types to find the right one for your journey to Netley. 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.

Things to see and do at The Big Eat Festival

The Big Eat Festival is family-friendly and suitable for a wide range of ages, everyone is welcome! The event entrance is free, and all profits are donated to local food banks. In 2024, the festival was able to donate £5,000 to Hound Basics Food Bank in Southampton.

Food, drinks and more

There are over 60 local food traders celebrating street food flavours from around the world, satisfying everyone's taste. On Saturday, prepare yourself for the Big (H)eat and participate in the Chilli Eating Competition to conquer the spiciest peppers. Sign up on the day and get a chance to win wonderful prizes! Find licensed bars on site to go with the food.

The Big Eat Festival is not only about food, it celebrates local partners, and you can also find a variety of 80 market/craft stalls.

food trucks in a park, with people around

food trucks in a park, with people around

Live entertainment

Find live entertainment throughout the day to satisfy and occupy everyone.

The festival includes sweet stalls, face-painters, circus skills and more to entertain children. Over the three days, you can also find live entertainment for everyone, such as magic shows.

There are three music stages welcoming local artists performing tribute acts and original music.

Dog show

On Monday the 25thof May, discover their dog show in partnership with Hamble Hounds. The first show is at 11 am, and the last one is at 3:45 pm. There are a total of nine shows welcoming all dog sizes and ages. Take a look at their dog show timetable to pick one or more you want to participate in or watch.

An entry fee of £2.50 per dog per class is being charged. The money raised is for Canine Partners, a charity partnering disabled people with assistance dogs across the UK.

Things to do near The Big Eat Festival

If you are heading to The Big Eat festival, why not enjoy a few days in Netley?

The coastal village was named after Netley Abbey, a late medieval monastery, which you can visit. Not far from the abbey, you can also admire the castle standing by the beach.

In the Royal Victoria Country Park, you can visit the Royal Victoria Chapel, which was once at the heart of the Royal Victoria Military Hospital.

As Netley is located beside Southampton, you can also discover this port city famous for the Titanic departure in 1912. Learn more in our comprehensive Southampton guide.

Where to stay in Netley?

If you want to stay closer to the festival, you can find two options in Netley. The closest place to the festival and a perfect, tranquil getaway, is Bell Tent Glamping, a tent stay at the very heart of the park. You can also stay at the Prince Consort, a hotel inside Netley’s village.

For more flexible options, there are plenty of hotels and stays around Netley. Consider Southampton, which offers a wide range of options. For budget options, you can find Bed & Breakfast in Southampton, as well as Travelodge Southampton or Premier Inn Southampton.

Cities around Netley, such as Hamble-le-Rice, offer more peaceful and closer options than Southampton.

The Big Eat Festival Accessibility

The Royal Victoria Country Park itself where the event is held is wheelchair and pushchair-accessible, paths are flat and smooth. For more information, visit Royal Victoria Country Park Accessibility page.