Make that one thing to do in autumn. I don’t know where this comes from but my over-riding impulse, once the summer holidays are over, is to eat. Maybe it’s something to do with the changing of the seasons and bringing in the harvest, but round about now I get a strong urge to embrace fresh, seasonal, hearty fare. So I’ve had a little look to see where’s good to eat for the season ahead. And where better than a food festival!

Cornish food - plus crabs!

Tresco and Bryher Food and Drink Festival showcase the best of local produce, producers, chefs and supplies on the Scilly Isles. There’ll be a crab shack, run by local head chef Richard Kearsley, which is promising not only crab alongside locally-caught shellfish, but music and dancing as well.

September 14 to 15 Tresco and Bryher Food and Drink Festival - stay at Hell Bay hotel from £135 per person, bed, breakfast and dinner

Hot stuff

A chilli festival – pauses to flap hand in front of steam-coming-out-of-month – in Brighton, with chilli eating competitions and the National Chilli Awards. The National Chilli Awards – who knew?

Sept 20 to 22 Fiery Foods Festival

Oysters

At home I’d be enjoying the first oysters of the season at festivals in Galway and Clarinbridge on the west coast of Ireland; here I can head to Falmouth Oyster festival. These oysters are traditionally dredged by sail and hand punt – this doesn’t happen very much any more; there’s cookery demos, a parade, family activities, oyster shucking competition, a boat race, and oysters and seafood all over town.

October 10 to 13 Falmouth Oyster festival

Herrings

Oysters yes – but herrings? Well, why not. Clovelly was once a major centre for herring fishing, and the Clovelly Herring Festival is held in support of sustainable fishing by traditional methods – and of course to celebrate the herring, the ‘Silver Darlings’ of the sea. Awww. There’ll be herring specialities, cookery demonstrations, shanty singers, street entertainment, markets and free craft activities.

November 17 Clovelly Herring Festival

Boars in Rye

There have been herds of wild boar roaming the forests of East Sussex since medieval times – imagine! – and Rye’s Wild Boar Festival gives restaurants the opportunity to serve diners this rare culinary experience. You can eat them or track them – events include medieval banquets and wild boar guided tours through the woodlands.

October 26 to November 3 Wild Boar Festival - stay at The Galivant hotel from £175 per person for bed, breakfast and dinner

Appetite whetted but can't make it to a festival? Cook at home instead - search our huge recipe database

Plan a festive Christmas break