Paula McIntyre and Suzie Lee kicked off the chef demo stage, where NI’s top local chefs cooked up honey-themed dishes over the two days, whilst chatting with compere Rita Fitzgerald.
Meanwhile, over 50 local food suppliers sweetened their offerings with a dash of honey, live music filled the gardens and plenty of waggle-dancing was enjoyed.
The event, which is supported by Tourism Ireland, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and the Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme, also provided the opportunity for inquisitive visitors to get up close to bees in sample hives brought by the beekeepers of Northern Ireland, including Hillsborough Castle & Garden’s beekeeper, Gwen Earnshaw.
Laura McCorry, Head of Hillsborough Castle commented; “What a weekend! We hope the Hillsborough Honey Fair has inspired our visitors to understand just how important bees are to the environment, from their pollination to helping plants grow, which of course allow our local food producers to make their incredible products. Food NI curated a wonderful array of local farmers and producers who put our grounds on the map as a foodie haven for the weekend.”
The event, which is supported by Tourism Ireland, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and the Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme, also provided the opportunity for inquisitive visitors to get up close to bees in sample hives brought by the beekeepers of Northern Ireland, including Hillsborough Castle & Garden’s beekeeper, Gwen Earnshaw.
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Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots with Alan McMullan from Killinchy Beekeepers at the Honey Fair
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There were plenty of hands on lessons for all ages at the Honey Fair
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Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots with Food NI Chairman Andrew Nethercott at the Honey Fair at Hillsborough Castle
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Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots pictured with Bethany Boyd from Brown Lemonade at the Honey Fair at Hillsborourgh Castle