12 hoorays of Christmas

From artisan fairs and crafting workshops to baking sessions and supper clubs, these festive experiences and events across the South West are guaranteed to get you in the Christmas spirit

Foodie festivities on the farm

Winter promises another packed itinerary of events at Nancarrow Farm near Truro.

Its Winter Feast on November 17 is a chance to sup on organic homegrown food and meet friends – old and new – around communal tables in the farm’s rustic oak barn. It kicks off with a welcome drink and nibbles, before the chefs deliver a three-course wood-fired supper featuring own‑reared beef or lamb and seasonal produce plucked from the kitchen garden.

Fancy a more intimate dinner with friends or family, but with the same quality food and buzzy atmosphere? On November 18 the Nancarrow team will host a Farm Supper of the same exceptional fare, served at individual tables. Winter Feasts and Farm Supper tickets £50.

Pottery & Prosecco

When it’s dark and damp outside, The Pot Project‘s BYOB Pottery & Prosecco evenings become even more appealing. Shelter from the elements at the Bristol studio with good friends and a bottle of your favourite fizz, and let the bubbles and feelgood vibes influence your creative masterpieces.

Book into one of the winter workshops taking place on November 10 and 24, and December 8 and 22. Celebrating? Let the team know so they can make the experience extra special. Tickets £35.

All I want for Christmas is my two front wreaths

There are a wealth of wreath‑making workshops taking place across the South West this winter, but we’re particularly tempted to join the green-fingered fiends at Hotel Endsleigh on the fringes of Dartmoor.

Upon arrival at the elegant Grade I‑listed hotel, guests will be guided to the stables for a cuppa before the crafting begins. The experience includes a two‑course lunch in the Trencherman’s‑rated restaurant and a glass of wine.

On November 24, 25 and 26 floral designer Nadine Gibbon will host the sessions, while on December 5, 6 and 7 wedding florist and the hotel’s resident greenery guru Simon Nickell will lead the class. Tickets £90.

Take it sloe

Head to the wilds of Dartmoor to spend a wholesome afternoon learning the dark arts of cider and sloe‑gin making on the Bovey Castle estate.

The experience takes place in the Long Barn nestled in the hotel’s vast gardens, and will be lit by flickering candlelight and a roaring log burner. It’s an atmospheric setting in which to press apples and infuse spirits with seasonal fruits. Naturally, there’ll be lots of opportunities to sample flavoured elixirs and traditionally crafted cider while gleaning inspiration for your own creations.

Workshops on November 18 and December 9. Tickets £30.

Sugar, spice and all things nice

Roll up the sleeves on your Fair Isle knit, tie up your apron and get stuck into some festive baking at Riverford Field Kitchen in Buckfastleigh.

On November 20 and 21 the farm kitchen will host a Christmas Baking Workshop, at which Riverford’s guest chef Andy Tyrrell will teach attendees how to craft orange and cranberry brioche, traditional stollen and festive focaccia. Open to beginners and experienced bakers alike, the day will be peppered with breadmaking tips and techniques to elevate your baking skills.

Halfway through the workshop, Andy will throw a sourdough flatbread baking demo into the mix – the flatbread forming the base of a freshly cooked lunch for attendees. Tickets £150.

Festive ferments

Those keen to introduce funky ferments to their Christmas “picky tea” spread will want to book a spot on Get Pickled‘s festive fermentation class at Lo Rapitenc in Frome on November 22.

Basic fermentation techniques will be taught before the hands‑on session begins. The ferments line‑up will include a gut‑boosting Christmas kraut and a sugar‑macerated seasonal syrup, both of which would make cracking gifts if you can bear to part with them.

Tip: listen out for the pop and hiss of jars throughout the class – that means samples are on the way. Tickets £50.

Shopping in a snow globe

What cooler setting could there be for this year’s Cornwall Christmas Fair than Eden Project‘s illuminated biomes?

On November 22‑23, visitors to the botanical habitat in Bodelva can explore a glittering Christmas market of 60 stalls from Cornwall’s indies. There’ll also be the chance to chomp their way through doughy delights from the bakery food hall.

Evening tickets on November 22 cost £32 and include access to the market, a welcome drink and supper, while daytime tickets on November 23 cost £18 and include access to the market, lunch and a glass of wine.

New feasting find

Like a moth to a flame, it’s hard to resist the pull of a delicious supper served in a rustic setting, and Pennard Hill Farm‘s new feasting barn is a bright beacon for Somerset’s gastronomically inclined.

The family‑run farm, located on the fringes of Glastonbury, has operated as a luxury selfcatering holiday destination and wedding venue for years, but the introduction of a feasting barn has now made it a must‑visit destination for discerning foodies.

Following a successful launch supper in October, three more events will take place on November 11 and December 2 and 9. Book your spot sharpish to guarantee a seat at the table and the chance to indulge in flame-cooked dishes of own‑grown ingredients from chef Tom Godber‑Ford Moore.

Tickets £50.

Walk (and eat) in a winter wonderland

Take a walk on the wild side this winter at Studland Bay, where Fore Adventure will host a festive foraging and feasting experience on December 2. The outdoor activity company is inviting foodies to join them in an enchanting seaside setting for a seasonal three‑course dining experience, crafted using ingredients from nature’s larder.

The gourmet adventure includes a welcome ‘wild’ cocktail, foraging walk through the pretty Dorset landscape, outdoor cooking demo, cosy campfire and wine with the meal.

Tickets £90.

Top of the table

Recreating the incredible flower-filled table settings displayed on Pinterest and Instagram takes more prep and skill than you might think. If you want to go all out for your next dinner party or Christmas Day itself, don’t miss Daylesford Farm‘s styling workshop in Gloucestershire on November 30.

Attendees will be led on a guided tour of the organic garden, where they’ll pick flowers and natural materials to use in the class. Floral designer Hazel Gardiner will then teach workshoppers how to make their own table runner and the best way to create a textural table space using carefully chosen homeware pieces, and by layering table linen, ceramics and florals.

Tickets £200.

’tis the season for Padstow Christmas Festival

A highlight of the South West culinary calendar, this celebrated Cornish festival returns to the coastal town from December 7‑10.

Padstow Christmas Festival will bustle with stalls filled with artisan food, drink and handcrafted wares, as well as a chef’s theatre where a bill of 70 chefs (including Rick Stein and Paul Ainsworth) will take turns demo‑ing their favourite dishes. There’ll also be live entertainment and plenty of opportunities to indulge in delish street food.

Festival entry is free. Sharp’s Chefs Theatre tickets from £7. Enter our competition to win a bundle of Sharp’s Brewery x Padstow Christmas Festival goodies here.

Keep it under wraps

Make your presents extra personal this Christmas by wrapping them in paper illustrated with your own artwork.

The Lost Kitchen in Chettiscombe, Devon, will host a lino‑printing card and wrapping paper workshop on December 6, where attendees can design and carve their own festive‑themed lino stamps before printing them on cards and wrapping paper using vibrant inks.

Arrive early (booking a table in advance is a must) to dig into delicious wood-fired cooking from head chef Jason Mead before the workshop begins.

Tickets £45.

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