Samhain Festival brings 7,500 visitors to Kells

Showcase celebration of Irish food and culture

The Samhain Festival of Food and Culture is celebrating this year’s incredible event which saw 7,500 visitors attend the festival, a significant rise from 5,000 in 2024.

A weekend of festivity from 6th to 9th November, Samhain Festival this year also saw the return of the renowned Sheridans Irish Food Fair, which welcomed artisan food and craft drink producers to come together to showcase their products from across the island of Ireland.

Boasting an impressive line-up of renowned chefs, local producers, food writers and storytellers, Samhain Festival’s line up included chef Neven Maguire and prominent healthy food advocate and activist, television chef, and accomplished cookbook author, Sophie Morris.

Recognised globally as one of the top food festivals worth travelling for, Samhain Festival 2025 delivered an expanded line-up of chefs, producers, writers and cultural voices. Festival-goers enjoyed a packed schedule ranging from live cooking demos and tastings to conversations, story telling and immersive food experiences rooted in the heritage of the Boyne Valley.

Other festival highlights included the Red Chapel Series, which drew full houses for its unique and atmospheric events, the lively Cooks n Books Stage, hosted by Ali Dunworth, where audiences were treated to interactive cooking demos and discussions with leading Irish culinary talent including Neven Maguire, Graham Herterich, Tara Walker, Conor Halpenny, Tara Gartlan, Colman Power, Orla McAndrew, Jolene and Lily Mae Cox.

Curated and hosted by Dee Laffan, The Scoop & A Yarn Stage presented intimate storytelling and insights into Ireland’s vibrant and evolving food culture. Highlights included tributes to the late Manchán Magan, personal stories from voices across the country’s tourism sector and engaging discussions with growers and chefs on the power of food memories.

Festival favourites returning this year included the ever-popular Samhain Literary Pub Crawl, featuring seanchaís, traditional Irish music, and a lively singsong with Kells local Matthew Gilsenan of The Celtic Tenors. The Samhain Long Table Supper, themed “Food Memories”, offered a nostalgic, multi-course celebration of Irish seasonal produce. The weekend’s highlight, the supper saw locally sourced ingredients transformed into exquisite dishes by Jess Murphy of Kai Galway, culminating in a show-stopping 'Coole Swan' dessert by The Cupcake Bloke, Graham Herterich; a delicate meringue swan perched atop a decadent chocolate trifle.

Ella Ryan of the Samhain Festival Planning Committee commented: “This year’s Samhain Festival was a phenomenal celebration of Irish food, culture and heritage. With 7,500 attendees, the festival continues to grow in its mission to showcase the producers and culinary voices that define our identity. The enthusiasm, creativity and community spirit on display made this our most memorable year yet.”