I went to the Taste festival and I thought it was very over priced. We write a food blog based in Belfast called chilli and chocolate if you want to go on and leave a comment.
Cheers
Chilli and Chocolate

Posted by Chilli and Chocolate | 17.09.09, 13:26 GMT

Ruth - you're absolutely spot on. This is not a report on the Taste and Music Fest, it's a blatant pre-written piece of free advertising for the so-called Movers and Shakers in the increasingly pretentious Belfast restaurant and leisure sector. A lot of the previous comments confirm that the report is just about as far from the truth as you can get.

Posted by Gerry | 12.08.09, 13:50 GMT

You might want to get your facts straight - Michael Deane wasn't there. He pulled out a few days before the festival! Great reporting!!

Posted by Ruth | 11.08.09, 18:30 GMT

We went to the festival on thursday night and saturday night and the atmosphere was great the entertainment was really good as well but why the £10 entry fee and then £10 for food tokens which was really exspensive for all you got for it. The organisers have done a good job but need to reduce the entrance fee and the food prices also try something for the kids as well next time thanks for a good time we did enjoy it but thought it was really overpriced.

Posted by Desy | 11.08.09, 15:39 GMT

A bunch of us went at lunchtime on the first day. The food was excellent (but vastly overpriced) and atmosphere good. However, we were charged a £5 lunchtime entrance fee, and told by the person that sold our tickets that we could definitely return in the evening with the same ticket. This was, of course, completely untrue, as we found out when we returned later when the stooge at the gate demanded another tenner. Needless to say, we didn't go in.

Posted by Ken | 11.08.09, 13:11 GMT

It was a good event, food was great, however extremely overpriced. I would have expected some tokens with your £10 entry fee. I was there on Friday and did enjoy the bands - atmosphere was great, weather terrific. good first attempt.

Posted by elizabeth | 11.08.09, 10:39 GMT

Was good but hope the organisers read the comments and take note. The event was enjoyable but it could be so much better. Lower the prices or give bigger portions, lower the entrance fee, get better bands, have some things for the kids to do (face painting etc), get more seats and sort the bar out. Do that and this will be incredible. Take a look at what similar food festivals around the world offer. Good luck!

Posted by Ted Dripper | 11.08.09, 02:38 GMT

Very overpriced. No child facilities, not enough seats or tables, and vastly over priced food. This wasn't a festival, it was just a store front with tribute band musak.

Posted by trevor | 10.08.09, 21:06 GMT

me thinks sean is steeped in sectarianism if he can link a story about a food festival to NI's troubles - some people never change.

On a brighter note I had a lovely day out at the festival, agreed though it was fairly expensive and there could have been more for kids - but not bad for the first year - hopefully be bigger and better next year.

Posted by get a life | 10.08.09, 20:11 GMT

I enjoyed the video as I was there on that day (and the following evening) - but obviously the journalist who wrote the article wasn't actually there!!! Neither Bourbon nor Deanes were at the event and I believe Paul Catterson doesn't actually work for Bourbon any more. The journalist has obviously just taken the information from the original and out of date publicity leaflets for the event! Very sloppy, very lazy journalism.

Having said that - the event was brilliant - reminded me of a smaller version of the annual Food & Wine Festival in New Zealand - excellent atmosphere, great music and great food. Just needs a few wine companies to attend also to give a bit more choice to go with the superb food on offer.

I hope it becomes an annual event. Just book the weather now!

Posted by Alastair Bell | 10.08.09, 18:50 GMT

It was a great event! Thoroughly enjoyed the music and the food. We need more like it. Hope it returns next year.

Posted by Helen | 10.08.09, 18:32 GMT

It was a great event! Thoroughly enjoyed the music and the food. We need more like it. Hope it returns next year.

Posted by Helen | 10.08.09, 18:32 GMT

LOL at Paul's comment. Spot on!

Posted by Lucy | 10.08.09, 17:43 GMT

£10 in to Botanic? A public park? What the ****? Inside about 10 food stalls and some awful music. Plenty of snobs running around "oooh yaaa food is delightful." Now I know why the portions are so small. They have to be that way to fit into their heavily Botoxed faces. This isn't a festival for all. It was an event for middle-class menopausal ladies of leisure.

Posted by Paul | 10.08.09, 17:38 GMT

Food was first-class. Really excellent. But expensive. Portions were tiny. Got a burger. It wasn't much bigger than a 50 pence piece. That isn't a burger! Other portions were similar. Also, why is the entrance fee £10? I was expecting some free food for that. You get nothing. There was just the food stalls and stage. Not much of a festival. Nothing for kids to do either. Couple of average tribute bands. Belfast really needs more events and I'm glad this took place - but come on! These sort of prices during a credit-crunch is taking the p***. Other niggles: staff serving food didn't wear gloves. They took your tokens with the same hands they were just handling your lump of chicken with. What is that about? On the upside if you didn't mind the queues - they served probably the best pint of Guinness I've ever had in Belfast!

Posted by Wookie Wild Child | 10.08.09, 17:33 GMT

good idea, poorly executed - overpriced, very unchild friendly and not enough chairs

Posted by roadrager | 10.08.09, 17:33 GMT

The atmosphere was great as was the food but it wasnt cheap....

Posted by neill | 10.08.09, 16:46 GMT

I welcome any new initiatives to Belfast and the idea behind this is good, however after attending this event on Saturday evening i have some complaints:
Half hour queue for drinks
Many of the vendors ran out of food.
Portions were very small with high prices.
Entertainment was average, not worth £10 entry.
I felt organisers have a lot to learn and i doubt i would return unless major changes.

Posted by Sol | 10.08.09, 15:46 GMT

Congratulations, Connie and Victor !!!!! We're with you in spirit and send all good cheer!!!! John and Peg in INDIANA

Posted by John and Peg | 10.08.09, 14:48 GMT

Arrived on Saturday evening to see Flash Harry, paid £20 for me & herself, with a further £20 for food tokens - no bother, straight in. However, I then had to spend 50 minutes queueing for a pint & a glass of wine!

What a shambles - but at least the atmosphere was good natured. Enjoyed what we saw of FH - having listened to the first half hour in the queue - and the food was very good.

We won't be in a hurry back though.

Posted by Stan d'Up | 10.08.09, 10:16 GMT