This week, Cork City will turn into one big food festival with 5 days of food flavour and fun, more than 150 events, including 80 free experiences, demonstrations and workshops, three spectacular long-table dinners and over 40 unique dining events at Cork on a Fork Fest. The festival will bring together hundreds of chefs, hospitality professionals, producers, food-industry experts and venues, with more than 20,000 attendees expected.
Cork on a Fork Fest returns this Wednesday, 12 August and runs until Sunday, 16 August, celebrating the people, produce and places that make Cork’s food scene distinctive. Across five flavour-filled days, the Cork City Council festival will feature 40 unique dining experiences, more than 60 chefs with 3 Michelin Star chefs, 10 major chef collaborations, 12 food trails and tours, 50 free demonstrations and workshops, and 30 free talks, tastings and producer sessions.
At the heart of the programme are three long-table street feasts, inviting almost 700 people to dine together.
The opening-night VQ Shared Table, sponsored by Birra Moretti, will welcome 480 guests to MacCurtain Street for a four-course collaborative long table feast created by businesses across The VQ.
On Friday, Marina Market will host the Big Table Mixer, a fun, alcohol-free social dining experience designed to spark connections. Guests will gather around a communal table for a three-course feast from some of the market’s best-loved traders, with non-alcoholic drinks and a DJ set from Stevie G. They will swap places after each course, creating opportunities to meet new people without the awkwardness of traditional speed dating.
On Sunday, the Pembroke Street Table will bring more than 100 diners together for a shared street feast prepared by Helena’s at The Imperial Hotel, Orso Kitchen, Arthur Mayne’s, The Old Town Taqueria Café and The Bookshelf, accompanied by live music.
Collaboration runs throughout the festival, with chefs, restaurants, producers, growers and drinks makers joining forces for one-off events.
Highlights include Michelin-starred chefs Lewis Barker of Terre and Paul McDonald of Bastion presenting a standing small-plate supper in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral; Rob Krawczyk of Chestnut, Aishling Moore of Goldie and Eric Nolan of Good Day Deli collaborating in the Goldie Chapel at Nano Nagle Place; and RTÉ Today chefs Eunice Power, Alex Petit and Mags Roche hosting a dinner at the former Cork Savings Bank at 1 Lapps Quay.
Glenbrook Farm will host a farm-to-fork dinner with chef Sarah Roche in its rustic calf shed, using ingredients sourced metres from the table. At St Peter’s, Georgian chefs from Poliphonia Restaurant in Tbilisi will collaborate with L’Atitude 51 on a traditional Supra, combining Cork ingredients with Georgian food, wine, storytelling and hospitality.
The dining programme ranges from tasting menus and rooftop brunches to a zero-waste dinner in the English Market, an oyster-tasting cruise through Cork Harbour, immersive dinner theatre and a multicultural café gathering.
Visitors can explore 12 food and drink trails and tours covering Cork’s food history, the English Market, local producers, traditional pubs, whiskey, wine and sweet treats.
More than 50 free demonstrations, workshops and hands-on activities will take place. Sixteen cookery demonstrations at the marquee on Grand Parade will feature Darina Allen, Aishling Moore, Ali Honour, Harrison Sharpe, Paradiso, Miyazaki, Tiger Balm Club members of the Down Syndrome Cork Youth Club and many more.
Elizabeth Fort will host Fire, Food and Fort, an afternoon and evening of live-fire cooking demonstrations by leading Cork chefs.
More than 30 free talks, tastings and producer-led conversations will explore natural wine, fermentation, brewing heritage, coffee culture, low- and no-alcohol drinks, mixology and women in whiskey.
Families can enjoy free cooking workshops, storytelling, sausage and butter making, farm animals, food-themed games, face painting and hands-on sessions with The Cool Food School at the Supervalu Family Zone in Bishop Lucey Park all weekend.
South Main Street will be pedestrianised for an Open Streets festival, creating a traffic-free space for a food and craft market, live music, street theatre and family entertainment, extending onto Tuckey Street, Grand Parade and Bishop Lucey Park.
“Cork on a Fork Fest is ultimately a celebration of the people behind Cork’s food,” said Cormac O Suilleabhain, Director of Services at Cork City Council. “These numbers demonstrate the scale and diversity of this year’s programme, but behind every event is a chef, producer, grower, maker, restaurant or community group sharing their knowledge, creativity and passion. Whether someone wants to book a once-off dinner in an extraordinary setting, follow a food trail, learn directly from a chef or producer, or enjoy one of the many free events – 50% are free – there are countless ways to experience Cork’s food culture.”
Commenting ahead of the festival Colin Hindle – Manager Festivals and Events at Fáilte Ireland said; “Fáilte Ireland is pleased to support Cork on a Fork. Festivals and events like this create memorable cultural experiences that encourage visitors from Ireland and overseas to discover all that we have to offer across the country. Our investment in Cork on a Fork strengthens Cork’s appeal as a must-visit destination within Ireland’s Ancient East, while generating meaningful economic opportunities for local businesses and contributing to the sustainable growth of tourism in the region.”
There are events to suit all ages. The full programme and booking information are available at www.corkonaforkfest.ie.
Cork on a Fork Fest runs from 12-16 August 2026. The Cork City Council festival is supported by local businesses, Fáilte Ireland, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism & Employment, Visit Cork, Cork Airport, Cork Business Association, LEO Cork City, the Irish Hotels Federation Cork, MTU, Science Ireland, headline sponsor Musgrave and a host of event partners.
