Comber Earlies Food Festival, Saturday 20 June 2026
This event is open for applications to trade at Tourism Events in Ards and North Down Borough Council (ANDBC) Area 2026.
Event information
The award-winning Comber Earlies Food Festival is now an established annual event in Ards and North Down’s Events calendar.
Comber early potatoes have been granted protected geographical indication (PGI) status under European law which recognises the regionality of the Comber potato and means that only new season potatoes harvested from the fields of Comber and the surrounding area can be marketed as new season Comber Earlies. The main focus of this event is to celebrate the PGI status of this unique local product. The event attracted over 11,000 visitors in 2024 and similar numbers in 2025.
Activities throughout the day include celebrity chef food demos, artisan bar, traditional bands, music stage, street theatre, and children’s activities.
**VENDORS MUST OPERATE FROM A FOOD TRUCK OR FROM WOODEN CHALETS (SUPPLIED BY COUNCIL – 3M X 3M)**
- Stalls to be operational from 10-5pm on Saturday 20 June.
- Please note that the first hour of trading 10am-11am will be advertised as a quiet hour for those who struggle with larger crowds.
- Load in will commence on Friday 19 June between 1pm-6pm in pre-booked slots.
- Traders must unload their vehicle and then move immediately to the nearest public car park.
Event aims
- Enhance the reputation of the Comber Early Potato
- Support the Comber Earlies Growers Co-Operative and tell the story of the PGI status
- Support and promotion of farmers and producers in Ards and North Down and across Northern Ireland
- Showcase authentic food and drink from the borough and beyond
- Seek out distinct quality food produce and food experiences
What we are looking for
We are looking for traders with produce (food and drink) to take home and street food.
Priority is given to traders in this order:
1. Food and drink producers that fit within the overall aims of Comber Earlies Food Festival
2. Food and drink producers that maintain a 'maker' or 'artisan' aspect
3. Comber traders
4. Members of AND Food Network
5. Food and drink producers from Ards and North Down; however, exhibitors from further afield may be considered where the product on offer is not produced locally and/or where the business/product has won recent food awards
We look for creative and aesthetically pleasing stalls which fit in with the aims of the festival and are keen for the festival market to be full of good quality food/products, at a fair price.
If you are interested in applying to trade at this event, please tick the relevant box on the application form.
Apply now - Download application form – closing date Friday 13 March.
