After it’s successful inaugural year, there’s an exciting event making its return to the City of Stories this summer. With evidence of Norfolk’s wine heritage dating back to the Roman era, it’s no wonder that the county’s wine scene is still flourishing to this day. That’s why, taking place during English Wine Week, Norwich Wine Week is here to join in and honour everything wine (Friday, June 14 – Saturday, June 22).
The celebrations start with Norwich Wine Week: The Festival in Chapelfield Gardens, before moving onto Norwich Wine Week: The Showcase, where the celebration will move city-wide. In this blog, you can find all the information you need to know about The Festival, including what to expect from the exhibitors, vendors, Tasting Tent, and much more!
And for more information on The Showcase, you can find our detailed guide here!
Norwich Wine Week: The Festival kicks the celebrations off with a bang – it’s the main event of the week! And for three-days in Chapelfield Gardens (Friday, June 14 – Sunday, June 16), this will be the place to go for all things wine.
General admission to The Festival costs £15 (+booking fee), and once you’re in you’ll have the chance to sample up to ten of the finest wines from our very own flourishing region and buy tasty dishes from specially selected caterers. Plus, all tickets include a Norwich Wine Week tote bag filled with goodies, including the chance to win golden ticket prizes!
Start your session off with a wander around, and stop at any exhibitor that takes your fancy, they’re all very knowledgeable experts who can guide you through some of Norfolk’s biggest and best wines. Be sure to try anything that you like the look of, and, if you’ve discovered a new favourite, you can buy a glass at the bar, or savour the taste of the week by buying a bottle to take home!
There’ll also be a wonderful stretch tent with both in-tent and out-tent seating, featuring benches and parasols, a fully stocked bar, and live DJ sets from Norwich Summer Sessions. The Festival is for everyone to enjoy, so if you’re not a big fan of wine, the bar will also include alternative options, such as a range of beers and non-alcoholic drinks.
Joining The Festival this year are the best of East Anglia’s vineyards and merchants. Each are bringing their own unique flair and wine offering to The Festival, giving you plenty of choice for your samples! Get chatting with the experts behind the brands, and you’re sure to find out a lot more about what’s in your glass. This year’s wine exhibitors are: Anglia Wines, Adnams, Burn Valley Vineyard, Burnt House Vineyard, CH Wine Merchants, Chet Valley Vineyard, Marsh Pig, Shotley Vineyard, Substrata, Flint Vineyard, Virgin Wines, and Via Vigna.
As well as our incredible, expert lineup of vineyards and merchants, The Festival is also joined by local catering companies providing a selection of light bites such as grazing boards, pizzas, tacos, loaded fries, and more. Find your perfect wine and nibbles pairing, then all that’s left is to enjoy! This year’s food vendors are: Alex Chef, Rambling Roots, Fat Teds Street Food, and The Cabin.
For more information on this year’s exhibitors and vendors, visit the Norwich Wine Week website for the full details!
Photo Credit – Rob Dodsworth, Brand Story
If you’re looking to add even more excitement to your time at The Festival, the Tasting Tent is for you. As an add-on to your Festival ticket, a trip to the Tasting Tent is the perfect treat for the tastebuds. These 30-minute sessions will help you expand on your knowledge, hear about life as a winemaker, and try three glasses of wine. These sessions are held in partnership with Norfolk Local Wine School and include topics such as ‘Posh vs Plonk’, ‘Where in the World? A Blind Tasting’, and many more.
Tasting Tent ticket prices are available for £10 (+booking fee) each, with the full Tasting Tent schedule available in the Norwich Wine Week Guide. To find out more about these sessions and to book your ticket, visit the Norwich Wine Week website.
Photo Credit – Rob Dodsworth, Brand Story
The live music of Norwich Wine Week is brought to you by Norwich Summer Sessions in partnership with NORCA, so you can sit back and soak up the atmosphere with live DJ sets that’ll have you grooving to the sounds of summer! The full music schedule this year is:
Friday, June 14 – Afternoon Session
DJ Mikey Shaw Dub Cavern
Friday, June 14 – Evening Session
DJ Steve ‘Scratch’ Wurly
Saturday, June 15 – Afternoon Session
DJ Sure Delight
Saturday, June 15 – Evening Session
DJ Steve ‘Scratch’ Wurly’
Sunday, June 16 – Afternoon Session
DJ Mikey Shaw Dub Cavern
Norwich Wine Week: The Festival runs from Friday, June 14 – Sunday, June 16, with Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon sessions from 1pm – 4pm and Friday and Saturday evening sessions from 5pm – 8pm. Each general admission ticket costs £15.
At The Festival, you’ll be able to meet the passionate winemakers from our region and sample up to 10 wines included in your ticket as well as a Norwich Wine Week tote bag filled with goodies. Wine exhibitors this year are: Anglia Wines, Adnams, Burn Valley Vineyard, Burnt House Vineyard, CH Wine Merchants, Chet Valley Vineyard, Marsh Pig, Shotley Vineyard, Substrata, Flint Vineyard, Virgin Wines, and Via Vigna.
Food vendors are also available at The Festival, offering tasty dishes such as grazing boards, pizzas, tacos, loaded fries, and more. This year’s food vendors are: Alex Chef, Rambling Roots, Fat Teds Street Food, and The Cabin.
Buy a Tasting Tent Bundle Ticket which includes the general admission ticket for a total of £25 and get a 30-minute Tasting Tent Session – and you can choose from a number of themes!
Book your general admission and Tasting Tent tickets on the Norwich Wine Week website here!
