ABERGAVENNY FOOD FESTIVAL 2007

SPONSORSHIP PACK 2007

"The most democratic of festivals, the most easygoing,  the most celebratory."
Matthew Fort, The Guardian, Nov 2006

We invite you to enjoy the company of some of the most skilled, passionate and articulate food-lovers by sponsoringone of the UK’s largest food festivals.

In just nine years, Abergavenny Food Festival has established itself as one of the leading food festivals in the UK. Set amidst the spectacular countryside of the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains, this region of the Welsh borders is home to a wealth of award-winning gastropubs, restaurants, country inns and hotels. 
As a showcase for local and regional produce, Abergavenny Food Festival celebrates the wealth of food and related products sourced, grown and manufactured in and around this area. It also provides a lively and accessible forum for the exploration of all aspects of food, from methods of preparation and presentation to the politics of production and consumption.

The Festival’s eclectic mix of performance and spectacle, shopping and grazing, education and debate, has a wide-ranging appeal for everyone from families looking for a great day out to foodies wanting the opportunity to participate in masterclasses and debates with cutting edge chefs and food writers.

The Festival takes place at a number of venues in Abergavenny, linked by bustling streets full of colourful stalls. Abergavenny’s Market Hall hosts free cookery demonstrations and provides plenty of space to sit and enjoy a bite to eat surrounded by artisan food stalls. Lower Brewery Yard is the location of further interesting stalls and provides an outdoor eating and drinking area. The Castle grounds offer the perfect venue for families to enjoy interactive food events, children’s workshops and live entertainment and, this year, will host a new Welsh Tapas-style dining experience. The Cheese & Wine Show features stalls and masterclasses, whilst free cookery demonstrations and a splendid array of fishmongers can be found at the Fish Market.

Sponsorship of Abergavenny Food Festival offers affiliation with a fresh, growing, innovative and thought-provoking brand, which promotes good food and drink, encourages a sense of community and networking, and advocates the importance of education and artisan craftsmanship.

Facts about Abergavenny Food Festival ¹

• Attracted over 32,000 visitors in 2006
• 25% of visitors interviewed were staying for the full two days
• Average visitor spend was £58 per person, generating up to £1.75M for the local and regional economy
• Two thirds of visitors came from within a 25 mile radius; the remaining third came mainly from M4 and M5 corridors
• Most visitors were in the 25-44 group but there was significant representation from both the 44-65 and 16-24 groups
• Generated strong regional, national and international media coverage
• Supported with advertising and marketing to the value of £20,000
• Official media partner, The Telegraph
• Over 150 stalls showcasing the best local and regional food and drink
• Huge range of topics covered in chefs’ demonstrations, masterclasses, debates and tutored tastings at venues across the town
• Dedicated venue for family and children’s activities
• Speakers and chefs in recent years have included Anthony Bourdain,  Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray, Raymond Blanc, John Burton-Race, Giorgio Locatelli and AA Gill
• Located in a picturesque market town on the edge of the Brecon Beacons, Wales
• Named ‘Greatest Event in Wales 2003’ by Wales Tourist Board
• In 2007, the Festival will grow again to include an enlarged fish market and specialist fish cookery demonstrations, and there are plans for a new dining experience in the Castle grounds where customers will be able to sample top quality Welsh products served tapas-style.
• In 2007 weekend will cost £9 for adults and £2.50 for children (aged 5-14). Individual events such as Masterclasses and Tutored Tastings start from £7 per ticket.
• Not only does it offer superb business opportunities, it’s highly enjoyable!

¹ Figures relate to Abergavenny Food Festival 2006

Testimonials

Waitrose - Karen Himsworth, Events Manager
“We have developed a fantastic relationship with Abergavenny Food Festival over the past six years. The visitors have a particular interest in food and where it comes from, and our cooking demonstrations have been a huge success with both adults and children. At the 2006 Festival we organised a 'Meet the Farmer' exhibition which was visited by over 8,000 people. This provided an opportunity for our suppliers to be interviewed in a relaxed environment, to discuss the challenges they face in today's market and to talk about their relationship with Waitrose.”

Tyrrell’s Potato Chips - Julie Lewis, Events & Promotions Manager
 “With the festival ever increasing we are thrilled to be continuing as one of the main sponsors. We are delighted to be working alongside 150 other exhibitors at such a prestigious event. Last year there was a tremendous turn out with visitor numbers topping 30,000 - all coming to visit the finest food and drink producers in Wales & the Marches.”

Knight Frank- Anthony Clay, Partner
“Knight Frank is delighted to be sponsoring Abergavenny Food Festival again. It provides an immensely enjoyable opportunity for us to support the local economy and develop relationships with potential clients.”

Western Power Distribution - Karen Welch, Public Relations Officer
Western Power Distribution (WPD), the electricity distribution business serving the south west of England and south and west Wales, is delighted to have been associated with Abergavenny Food Festival for the past three years (2004-2006) by sponsoring the Primary Schools’ Cookery Competition, the Children’s Food Academy and activities. WPD believes it is the role of any large organisation to play a full and active role in the community. We have an impressive track record on helping the community in a charitable sense and also contributing in a practical and realistic way to the development and economic prosperity of the regions we serve.

The Festival has proved to be one of the most exciting and innovative food events in the UK and the Primary Schools’ Cookery Competition has played an important part in raising the number of families attending the event with their children. Some of the UK’s top chefs have taken part in judging and presenting the competition, helping to raise the profile; it has been a real pleasure to be in such illustrious company. This competition is aimed at encouraging young people to think about the food they eat and where possible to promote a healthy life style. The children have done extremely well under considerable pressure and produced some fantastic results. The whole community comes alive for the Festival; there’s a real buzz and a sense of celebration which is quite unique. WPD has been delighted to have played a small part in making this happen and wishes the organisers of Abergavenny Food Festival every success in the future.

Sponsorship Opportunities

There are a limited number of innovative sponsorship opportunities at the 2007 Abergavenny Food Festival, which are designed to be flexible, may be tailored around your specific requirements and start from as little as £250.

• Main Festival Sponsor
• Venue Sponsor: Market Hall
• Venue Sponsor: Fish Market
• Venue Sponsor: Cheese & Wine Show
• Venue Sponsor: Lower Brewery Yard Outdoor Market
• Venue Sponsor: Welsh Castle in Castle Grounds
• Venue Sponsor: Borough Theatre
• Feature Sponsor: Children’s Food Academy
• Feature Sponsor: Primary Schools’ Cookery Competition
• Event Sponsor: Masterclasses, Tutored Tastings, Talks & Debates
• On-Site Sponsorship: Wristbands
• On-Site Sponsorship: Staff T-Shirts
• On-Site Sponsorship: Festival Bags
• On-Site Sponsorship: Inserts into Festival Bags

For further information or to check which opportunities are currently available, please contact:

Deborah Haylock
Sponsorship & Hospitality Manager
Abergavenny Food Festival

Tel  01873 851643
Email deborah@abergavennyfoodfestival.com

 Click here to download our Sponsorship Pack as a PDF document (136kb)

This section now contains information about:

2007 FESTIVAL SPONSORS AND THEIR CONTACT DETAILS

SPONSORING THE FESTIVAL (Sponsorship pack)

FUNDERS AND THEIR CONTACT DETAILS

...and will, in due course, also contain information about:

PARTNERS AND THEIR CONTACT DETAILS

We'll be bringing you up-to-date news and information throughout the build-up to this year's Festival.
In the meantime you can also still visit last year's Festival website by clicking here