Free-from festival for Shrewsbury

A Shropshire festival specialising in free-from foods and those suffering with allergies has lined up a huge array of traders for the event - and is calling for more to come forward to offer even more diversity.

Frestival 2019 will take place at the West Mid Showground on May 18.

Organisers are aiming to introduce people to all sorts of free-from foods such as wheat, gluten, dairy, meat, nuts, animal products, palm oil, sugar and even plastic.

Traders at the event will include Hunter and Gather (which sells a range of products, created to provide choices that are healthy, tasty and free from any artificial products or preservatives), The Wrinkly Elephant  Company (which sells luxury, natural, handcrafted soap, bath and body products) and Planet Doughnut with their vegan doughnuts.

Lajina Leal of Lajina Masala, who is also demonstrating in the Frestival cookery theatre, will have a stall, selling her spice mixes, which are naturally low in fat, sugar, salt and gluten-free.

There will also be Rawesome (which sells tasty vegan, gluten free and dairy free raw bars with no added sugar), Haughton Honey (which sells raw honey straight from the hive) and many more.

Organiser Ian Bebbington said: “We are delighted with the number of traders who have come forward to set up at Frestival. We have a wide variety from vegan and gluten stalls to dairy free and nut free.

“We would love to encourage more traders to come forward too. The more people who realise the variety of food available for those who have a ‘free-from’ diet, whether by choice or necessity, the better.”

Michelle D’Arcy, from Shropshire Veggies and Vegans, will have an information stall to tell people all about the vegan lifestyle.

She said: “I felt it was important that there was someone there with knowledge about veganism to advise people about how to stay healthy on a vegan diet and the reasons for going vegan. Veganism is much easier to do than people might think. There are loads of options out there now, even if you have other dietary restrictions such as gluten free or nut free. Most big chain restaurants have vegan options and supermarkets all have sections for vegans.” 

Frestival will have a large food court for visitors to enjoy with all sorts of streets stalls, selling everything from pizza and BBQ food to vegan ice-cream.

There will be a variety of hot and cold food, including sweet and savoury options and, of course, plenty of gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan options  on hand, and all traders will have full allergen and dietary information readily available.

There will also be vegan wine from Thomas Holt of Paso-Primero with Darren Tomkins of Gindifferent, the hugely successful gin bar in Shrewsbury’s Market Hall. 

For more information about Frestival and to buy tickets, see www.shropshirefrestival.co.uk