The Temple Newsam Food Festival 2025

This August sees the launch of the first Temple Newsam Food Festival, a two-day outdoor event set in the grounds of one of Leeds’s most recognisable estates. Taking place over the weekend of 16-17 August 2025, the festival brings together quality street food, independent bars, live chef demos and music, all against the backdrop of a 500-year-old stately home. 

It’s an inspired location. This historic setting is well known for family days out, but less so for large-scale food events. The ambitious team behind it all are set on changing that. 

They’ve curated a strong mix of local talent and international cuisine. Expect bao buns, wood-fired pizza, paella, tacos and a decent showing from Yorkshire’s own small-batch producers. The chef demonstration stage is free to access, with appearances from some of the region’s top culinary names. 

Don’t worry about the unpredictable Yorkshire weather, a covered bar area will serve a range of craft ales, ciders and gins, with similar shelter over the dining space so you can eat big and stay dry. 

There’s more than just belly-filling action on offer though. There’ll be live music from tribute bands, plus roving performers, a funfair, kids’ cookery classes and even a “foodie Olympics” for families. Will there be a throat-scorching hot wing challenge? Probably not, but you never know. 

Best of all, the whole thing is refreshingly uncorporate, with reasonably priced tickets, (free for under fives). Plus, the organisers have raised over £127,000 to date for Leeds Mind – it’s as much a community event as a commercial one.

More scenic, more spacious and more about a good time than about the bottom line. That’s what the debut Temple Newsam Food Festival has to offer. It all seems pleasingly different to the usual line-up of slick, city-centre food festivals – fingers crossed it’s the first of many more.