‘Bring Your Own Bowl’ To The Dingle Food Festival This Year

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Dingle Food Festival organisers promoting the simple message of reducing and reusing while encouraging festival goers to bring their own bowl and spoon to cut down on waste. Pictured at Dingle Harbour on Monday for the festival launch were Martin Bealin, Chairman, Niamh O’Kennedy, Jamie Flannery, Helen Heaton, Darach O’Murchu, Manuela Dei Grandi, Mai and Orfhlaith Ni Bhruic, Lui O’Se and Sabrina Ingrinisano. Photo: Don MacMonagle

THE 2023 Dingle Food Festival will take place from Friday, September29  to Sunday, October 1 with a special focus this year on zero waste.

Building on the success of last year’s initiative, the Dingle Food Festival is moving closer to its aim of being completely waste free by 2024.

Local sustainability group, Transition Corca Duibhne (TCD) are working again with Festival organisers to promote the simple message of reducing and reusing. ‘Simple choices can reduce waste to almost nothing’ says Darach Ó Murchú, TCD project coordinator.

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“We managed a 25% reduction in waste going to landfill at last year’s festival, this year we hope to triple that and reach 75%, and to be 100% zero waste in 2024.”

To make it happen visitors to this year’s festival goers are advised to BYOB – Bring Your Own Bowl or plate and cutlery.

Festival goers will receive a free Taste Trail green-ticket for every ticket book bought when they bring their own tableware from home to use at the festival.

Food outlets will be happy to serve their tastings to people on their brought tableware. There will also be a festival bowl and cutlery set on sale for €5 available to buy at the festival office and at the festival taste trail ticket booths/outlets.

Pictured at Dingle Harbour on Monday for the festival launch were Jamie Flannery, Manuela Dei Grandi, Niamh O’Kennedy, and Darach O’Murchu, Transition Corca Duibhne (TCD). Photo: Don MacMonagle

In a multi-pronged approach to significantly reduce the amount of waste produced over the Festival weekend.

Rinse stations will be conveniently located around the festival for cleaning dishes between tastings. Waste segregation stations will be located around the town, each attended by volunteers offering advice on recycling and helping people to chose the right bins for their waste.

For more advice and tips on waste reduction at the festival and at home visit the TCD information stand which will be open and serving tea all weekend.

With the aim of reducing single use plastic bottles during the Festival, this year there will also be a water refill tap at each of the rinse stations where you can fill your water bottles for free – thanks to funding from Kerry County Council.

TCD have put a call out for volunteers to help with the initiative for a couple of hours during the weekend. Contact Darach on 087-2153758 or email ttcorcadhuibhne@gmail.com or via the Facebook page www.facebook.com/plasticfreedingle/

A stylish festival pack will also be for sale for €15 at the festival office. The pack contains a branded plate, bowl, cup and cutlery made from durable eco-friendly bamboo in an organic cotton carry bag.

“Being a zero waste festival is not going to be an easy task, but we are committed to this journey and when the Dingle Festival achieves this goal it will be the first major food festival to do so,” says this year’s festival director, Martin Bealin.

Highlights of this year’s festival will have the much loved Taste Trail, where festival goers get to sample food delights throughout the picturesque town, including Dingle Sushi, Mini Prawn Cocktail from The Fish Box and Chocolate Macarons from Murphy’s Ice Cream. Bia Dingle, the Corca Dhuibhne Food Network, will be showcasing food produced on the Dingle Peninsula.

There will be cookery demonstrations, farmers market, the Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards, street entertainment, workshops, kids activities and lots more. Check out www.dinglefood.com

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