With the Cardiff Coffee Festival selling out its debut event well in advance, there’s no doubt it will be returning next year. A new, key event in the Cardiff cultural calendar, in the eyes of attendee Emily Gillbard the day was everything it was cracked up to be and more.
Encompassing all there is to do with Welsh coffee culture, the inaugural Cardiff Coffee Festival highlighted that coffee is not the only thing behind a successful café. From the bakeries whose sweet goods fill the displays, to the ceramicists who create the cups and mugs, the day sought to highlight those whose hard work in the café scene often goes unnoticed.
Held in the idyllic Insole Court, the festival spanned the entire day, providing plenty of time to enjoy the extensive coffee selection as well as the many talks from industry professionals. There were opportunities to learn about ethics and sustainability, how a coffee bean can be transformed into an iconic brand, and how to dabble in a career in coffee yourself. The chance to learn from industry professionals in such a personal setting gave the event a certain warmth and created a relaxed atmosphere, setting the tone for a day of all things caffeine.
Insole Court itself was home to a huge variety of Wales’ most loved coffee brands and roasteries for the day. From Canton’s Hard Lines to independent cafes like Sibling and Rhostio, and the many unique tasting blends by Skylark, the historic rooms within the gothic mansion created a caffeine-induced maze. With over 30 exhibition stalls, the different blends and enticing flavours of coffee were endless, with chances to try and buy those that took your fancy and rinse the professionals of all their knowledge.
The Stable Yard Courtyard housed numerous bakeries selling cinnamon rolls, brownies and Welsh cakes, while the lawn offered street food and even a tiramisu truck. The Peach House Lawn was the hub of the festival, with live music, food stalls, a ceramics market and even an artist painting with coffee. The ceramics market featured several independent artists showcasing their many unique hand-crafted creations, including mugs, plates and vases.
The time and effort that went into each item was evident, as well as the artists’ passion and creativity in what they do. It is items such as these that often go unnoticed in cafés, so having a dedicated space within the festival for them created a newfound appreciation and admiration for the hard work behind each unique design. The ceramicists were eager to share their own processes and inspirations behind their designs, creating both a friendly and inspirational environment where artwork and coffee collided.
To say you got your money’s worth would be an understatement. The chance to sample dozens of Wales’s best coffee blends and interact with those who are experts in the field, whilst also learning about wider café culture and everything that encapsulates it, is what situates Cardiff Coffee Festival in a different realm to its Bristol or London equivalents. I’m excited to see how it grows in the years ahead.
words EMILY GILLBARD photos NICOLA GRACE
