Following a successful festival in April, The Big Eat is back this October, and we are, once again, inviting businesses across the Islands to get involved.
If you’re planning a special menu or signature dish a unique dining experience, a themed event, a chef collaboration, or simply want to showcase the best you have to offer, we’d love to have you on board. Your idea can be as big or as small as you like, every event helps create a vibrant programme that encourages locals and visitors to explore Guernsey’s fantastic food scene.
Momentum is already building for October. The first events have already been submitted, and the Big Eat industry group met last week to discuss ideas for this year's festival, including the return of the popular Fromage Tour. We're also delighted to have visits from food journalists and influencers already lined up, with more exciting announcements to come.
Why take part?
Participation is completely free and offers a great opportunity to showcase your business to both local audiences and visitors.
By taking part, you'll benefit from:
A listing on The Big Eat website.
Promotion through a dedicated marketing campaign across digital advertising, PR, social media and VisitGuernsey channels.
The opportunity to attract new customers, encourage repeat visits and raise your profile.
The April festival demonstrated the appetite for celebrating Guernsey's food scene:
More than 50 businesses took part.
Festival content generated over 290,000 organic views, with almost 79% coming from outside Guernsey.
Paid advertising delivered over 214,000 impressions and 10,000 clicks.
The festival was supported by food influencers including James Strawbridge, Boop Foodie, Dejashu and Saltandshaikh
The Big Eat is open to anyone with a food or drink offering. Don't have a food or drink offering? You can still get involved by partnering with a local food or drink business to create a collaborative experience or package. We are here to help if you’re not sure how you can get involved.
Your event/offer doesn't need to be complicated. It could be one or more of the following:
A seasonal set menu
A signature dish or cocktail
A collaboration with another chef or producer
A producer tour or behind-the-scenes experience
A food and activity package
A food and stay offer with a local accommodation provider
No. You can take part for as little or as long as works for your business. It could be a one-off event, a weekend special or something available for several weeks. Whatever works for you while adding value to the festival programme.
We encourage businesses to celebrate Guernsey’s fantastic local produce wherever possible, but it isn’t a requirement. The festival is about showcasing the quality and diversity of the Islands’ food and drink offering.
No. The Big Eat is about celebrating Guernsey’s food and drink scene. Businesses can create an offer or experience that works best for them. That said, if you want to track the success of what you choose to do, a discount or special rate can make that easier.
Yes. We’ll promote the festival through a dedicated marketing campaign, including digital advertising, PR, social media and the festival website.
To maximise attendance, we also encourage participating businesses to promote their own events through their own channels and customer networks.
Yes. Hamilton Brooke has confirmed that Tennerfest will go ahead as usual, and VisitGuernsey will continue to support the initiative alongside the Big Eat.
Businesses wishing to take part in Tennerfest should contact Hamilton Brooke directly.
How do I take part?
Simply email your event, menu or offer details to Bori by 15 August.
Don't worry if every detail hasn't been finalised, we're happy to include your event in the programme and update the listing as more information becomes available. The earlier you submit your details, the more time we'll have to promote your business before the festival begins.
If you'd like to discuss an idea before signing up, you're welcome to contact Bori at borbala.halasz@gov.gg
