A Weekend to Savour: Taste Autumn Finale Showcases the Best of Local Food and Drink at Bangor Castle and Walled Garden
Released: Monday 5 October 2026
The final weekend of Taste Autumn in Ards and North Down proved a success, as visitors flocked to Bangor Castle and the Walled Garden, 26 and 27 September, to celebrate the region's vibrant food and drink scene.
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Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Craig Blaney, with Lindsay Curran and Susannah McCloy of Lyttle Leaves
Taste Autumn Finale 1
The Taste Autumn Finale Weekend brought together two flagship events, Taste Ards and North Down at Bangor Castle and the popular Chilli Festival in Bangor Castle Walled Garden, creating a memorable weekend packed with local flavours, artisan produce, live entertainment, and chef demonstrations.
The finale marked the end of this years Taste Autumn in Ards and North Down, a borough-wide celebration of local food, drink and seasonal experiences which ran from 11-27 September. The programme featured a variety of events, including Tide and Turf Food Festival in Portavogie on Saturday 12 September, Stargazing at Ballyhalbert Point, and a range of special activities delivered by local food and drink producers, hospitality businesses and tourism providers across the borough.
Visitors to the finale weekend enjoyed the opportunity to meet local producers, sample award-winning food and drink, and celebrate the outstanding quality of Ards and North Down's food offering. Together, the events provided a fitting finale to another successful Taste Autumn programme, reinforcing Ards and North Down's reputation as one of Northern Ireland's premier food tourism destinations.
Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Craig Blaney commented:
"The Taste Autumn Finale weekend was a wonderful celebration of the outstanding food and drink offering we have here in Ards and North Down. It was fantastic to see Bangor Castle and the Walled Garden bustling with visitors, all enjoying the wealth of local produce, talented makers and unique experiences on offer."
For more information on upcoming events and local producers, see www.visitardsandnorthdown.com
Photo captions:
- Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Craig Blaney, with Lindsay Curran and Susannah McCloy of Lyttle Leaves
- Wendy Gallagher in conversation with Michelle Wilson of Crawford's Rock during the live 'Meet the Maker' session
- Stephen Stewart of Habanero Steve's at the Chilli Festival
- Luca Montorio of Peppup at Taste Ards and North Down at Bangor Castle
- Chef Brian Magill of SERC School of Culinary Arts with Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Craig Blaney, during a live food demonstration
