From a festival of oysters to a celebration of vegan eating, here’s a guide to September’s foodie events

Eating good food and sipping great drinks while surrounded by a sea of like-minded people is one of life’s simplest pleasures, and this little isle of ours is absolutely fantastic at celebrating community spirit in the form of food.

Making good use of local produce and giving a well-deserved nod to the people that bring our meals from farm to fork, here’s what’s coming up this month…

A Taste of West Cork

2-11 September

So much more than a festival that happens to be about food, A Taste of West Cork is a festival that celebrates all that is unique about West Cork – the food, the producers, the landscape and the magic ingredient: the people.

Waterford Harvest Festival

9-11 September

Waterford Harvest Festival returns for its 13th year and they’re bringing sustainability to the heart of the event as they showcase the rich food heritage and celebrate the diverse restaurants, eateries and producers of the area. There’ll be market stalls, dining events, panel discussions, and a Food Done Right Challenge, where the festival dares attendees to support local, reduce our food’s air miles, and embrace all things veggie.

Mexican Independence Day Dublin

15 September

Taking place at The Well, Stephen’s Green, this event honours Mexican culture and independence through an evening of incredible food, dancing and pure enjoyment. There’ll be music from Mariachi San Patricia and DJ Mario Romo, entertainment from Anahuac Mexican Dance Ireland and Dance by Yovanna Torres & Pepe Rodríguez and the food offering is made up of a selection of Tacos from El Milagro,Pozole and Gringas from Salsa – Authentic Mexican Food, and Tamales from Balam Mexican Food. The Mexican Ambassador to Ireland Miguel Malfavón Andrade will also make an appearance.

Galway International Oyster Festival

23-25 September

The world’s longest running oyster festival, Galway Oyster Festival shines a spotlight on all things seafood across a wonderful weekend in the west. With live music, oyster opening competitions, cookery demos and freshly caught seafood fit for a king, this event has become an eagerly-anticipated date in the Irish foodie calendar.

Dublin Vegfest

24 & 25 September

A curated vegan food village that’s bringing Ireland’s very best plant-based vendors and producers together, Dublin Vegfest consists of a wide range of events at Leinster Cricket Club, Rathmines. Organised by a dedicated group of foodies who are passionate about vegan living, the weekend is a celebration of food, music, fun, and community – and you don’t have to be vegan to attend!

Dingle Food Festival

30 September – 2 October

Taking place on the Dingle Peninsula on the Wild Atlantic Way, this food festival is organised by a group of locals and it’s known within the area as the best weekend of the year. Highlights include cookery demonstrations, an abundance of market stalls, workshops, tastings and plenty of street entertainment. There’ll also be a ‘taste trail’, which will take attendees around over 70 foodie spots for the absolute best food and drink.