Record crowds pack out Waterford Harvest Festival 2025 as city serves up a feast

Waterford was abuzz last weekend as record-breaking crowds poured into the city for the 2025 Harvest Festival, transforming the streets into a celebration of food, music, and fun.

From packed-out kitchen demos and family competitions to sold-out gigs and fine dining under the stars, organisers say this year's programme was the biggest and best yet.

Festival Co-Director Martin Nolan praised the atmosphere, pointing to the success of the new expanded demo stage and the hugely popular Junior Masterchef Competition, where budding young chefs Tomás Beagáin (12) and Matthias Hynes (10) were both crowned winners after impressing judges.

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"We were delighted with the success of the Harvest Festival this year. We installed a bigger stage for our Kitchen Demos and all demos were very well attended. The Junior Masterchef Competition was a huge success with two fantastic up-and-coming chefs — Tomás Beagáin (12) and Matthias Hynes (10) — going head-to-head, and in the end, both winning."

Some of the hottest tickets of the weekend included The Faulty Towers Dining Experience at Dooleys Hotel, singer-songwriter Mick Flannery's special show at Christ Church Cathedral, and the finale, Beats, Bites & Bubbles, which saw five of the South East's top chefs team up to create a unique five-course outdoor feast on John Roberts Square.

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The festival also made important strides on accessibility this year, introducing sensory services and fast-track stall access through a new partnership with Nua Healthcare and Autism Friendly Waterford, an initiative warmly welcomed by families and traders alike.

With local businesses across the city benefitting from the Festival's record crowds, organisers say they are already looking ahead to 2026 with plans to build on this year's success.