A new festival is coming to York this summer, combining two of the great pleasures in life – food and music.
Bite to the Beat Festival is set to be a culinary extravaganza, celebrating the finest food, drink and artisan products from the UK, topped with a delicious serving of nationally-acclaimed live music.
The four-day festival will run during the August Bank Holiday weekend – 26 to 29 August – at the Clocktower Enclosure, York Racecourse.

Showcasing eight Michelin-starred and award-winning chefs from the North and Scotland, it will bring some of the finest restaurant kitchens to York for the first time, giving visitors the chance to sample their creations within a festival setting.
And you can enjoy a drink from a range of craft beers, artisan gins and boutique wines and champagnes while chilling or partying to the live bands on stage.
Tickets go on sale today through Ticketsource – priced at £27.95 for adults and £12.95 for children (5-12 years old, children 4 and under free).
A VIP experience priced at £55.95 includes exclusive access to the VIP bar and garden close to the stage, two gourmet dishes from the renowned chefs, a glass of bubbles and meet-and-greet with the chefs.
The chefs

Bite to the Beat’s line-up of chefs includes
- North Yorkshire’s own Andrew Pern of The Star Inn group of restaurants
- Lisa Goodwin-Allen, executive chef at Northcote in Lancashire’s Ribble Valley
- Paul Heathcote of the former Longridge Restaurant near Preston
- Liz Cottam, chef patron of Leeds restaurants Home and The Owl
- Simon Shaw of El Gato Negro, Habas, and Canto restaurants in Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool
- Steven Smith of The Freemasons Arms at Wiswell, also in the Ribble Valley
- Roy Brett, chef patron of Ondine Restaurant in Edinburgh
- and Josh Overington of Le Cochon Aveugle in York.
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The music
Bringing a summery vibe to Bite to the Beat Festival will be some popular live music acts, including
- Lost in Music featuring all your disco favourites
- Martin Kemp with his 80s DJ show
- The Magic of Motown
- Beach Vibes – The Music of Ibiza, and
- George Michael celebration Fastlove which has recently played in the West End and London’s O2 Arena.
Each session will be supported by some great local talent from party favourites Huge to the unmissable Y Street Band and anything-but-traditional Hyde Family Jam, as well as the nationally-acclaimed 17-piece band the Old Time Sailors.
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Chef Andrew Pern, co-producer of Bite to the Beat Festival, says “It’s fantastic to be creating the brand-new Bite to the Beat Festival in the City of York.
“It will be a delicious concoction of fab food and fab music blended by some great Northern Chefs into the perfect recipe for the perfect party weekend.”
Bite to the Beat Festival is produced by CMJ Events of York, the team behind the successful York Spring Fair and Food Festival, Yorktoberfest, The Minster Village and YO1 Beach Club, in association with Andrew Pern and Mike Green.