This weekend will see West London gastropub, party venue and Domus Nova old-time favourite Paradise by Way of Kensal Green host their inaugural Harvest Festival - a celebration dedicated to street food, country pursuits, music and entertainment. Though the event will run on both Saturday 28 September and Sunday 29 September, each day offers a different event and so be sure to head down on both to catch all of the happenings.
From 2pm - 8pm on Saturday an army of food trucks will station in the church courtyard adjacent to the pub to bring one of the largest ever street-food markets to the area. Among the food trucks usually found in Shoreditch, making their way west will be Innocent Drinks, Motherclucker, Rainbofood, Dosa Deli, Mama’s Jerk Station, Good & Proper Tea, Pearl & Groove and Cheeky Italian - yum! Paradise have even agreed to donate all pitch fees from the street vendors to their nominated charity, Action Aid. And so to answer your question - yes, it's absolutely fine to sample a little something from every one; after all it's all in the aid of charity!
If you can tear yourself away from the foodie delights, across the road in Paradise's private dining and music rooms, a series of culinary classes will be hosted by Spitafields City Farm's Spitalfields Farmers who will be hosting a gardening session on 'Hungry Gap Vegetables', which will cover organic home-growing techniques, with crops to take home. All the while, Meat 16 will host 'Meat the Sausage', to include a concise history of the sausage itself, discussion on varieties and a lesson on how to make your own, which guests can take home.
On Sunday the arrival of an urban farmyard will be stationed in the paradise garden where children and parents alike will be able to befriend their favourite furry friends. The urban petting zoo will allow kids to learn all about farmyard animals, with pigs, chickens and sheep. Truly bringing West Country to West London... the venue will be authentically decked out in bunting, turf and straw bales, as if your never had to leave the area!
Remember, the fun's not just for the kids. Get yourself well and truly mucked in with the Barn Dance Hootenanny (Saturday & Sunday 2pm - 11pm), which is an all-day music programme that will see music provided by Famous Wolf and Unwanted Promotions. Refuel throughout by Paradise's legendary hearty British grub and pub roasts, accompanied by Bloody Mary’s and the weekend papers.
Paradise by Way of Kensal Green, 19 Kilburn Lane, Kensal Green W10; theparadise.co.uk