Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight’s food festival: the Garlic Festival near Newchurch, 21 and 22 August 2027, with garlic grown on the island, ferries and tips.
At a glance
- Home of the Isle of Wight Garlic Festival, 21 and 22 August 2027
- Garlic grown on the island, at Newchurch, by The Garlic Farm
- Reached by ferry or fast catamaran across the Solent
- August is a busy month for the island, warns the festival
- 1food festival
Food festivals in Isle of Wight
Peter Trimming, CC BY-SA
Map of Isle of Wight
What to taste in Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight garlic
Grown at Newchurch by The Garlic Farm, the bulb at the heart of the August festival.
Isle of Wight tomatoes
The island is known for tomatoes grown under glass.
Cream tea
Scones, clotted cream and jam, the English afternoon classic of the island’s tea rooms.
The Isle of Wight grows its own garlic: The Garlic Farm, at Newchurch in the east of the island, supplies the bulb at the heart of the Isle of Wight Garlic Festival, held each August since 1983. The island lies off the south coast of England, across the Solent from Southampton and Portsmouth.
Crossing the Solent
The festival’s own travel page lists the crossings.
| Route | Service | Crossing time |
|---|---|---|
| Southampton to Cowes | Red Jet, foot passengers | about 25 minutes |
| Southampton to East Cowes | Red Funnel car ferry | just under one hour |
| Portsmouth to Ryde | Wightlink catamaran, foot passengers | about 22 minutes |
| Portsmouth to Fishbourne | Wightlink car ferry | about 45 minutes |
Newport, Sandown and Newchurch
- Newport: the island’s main town, in the centre. Bus route 1 runs there from Cowes.
- Sandown: a seaside resort on the east coast, the postal town of the festival site.
- Newchurch: the village between them, home of The Garlic Farm.
The Isle of Wight is a county of its own.
Buses and bikes to the festival field
- Buses: Southern Vectis route 8 runs from Newport and Ryde to the Garlic Festival field, and the Downs Breezer from Ryde.
- Bikes: the festival has bike racks, sponsored by Wight Cycle Hire.
Isle of Wight produce beyond garlic
The tourist board, Visit Isle of Wight, credits the island’s sunshine-rich climate for the sweetness of its tomatoes, grown at Arreton, and says crab, lobster and fish come from the Solent to local kitchens. Its list of producers:
| Producer | Where | What |
|---|---|---|
| Isle of Wight Cheese Co | Sandown | Blue Slipper, Isle of Wight Soft and Gallybagger, from its own Guernsey and Jersey cows |
| Adgestone Vineyard | Sandown | Island wines, with an audio tour of one of the oldest commercial wine cellars in England |
| Goddards Brewery | Sandown | Ales from the oldest brewery on the island |
| Minghella | Newport | Ice cream made to an Italian recipe |
| The Garlic Farm | Newchurch | Garlic products from chutneys to popcorn and ice cream, a restaurant and a farm audio tour |
The Isle of Wight became a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2019, only the seventh UK destination to receive the status, says Visit Isle of Wight.
Before you go
- Ferries: Red Funnel sails from Southampton to Cowes and East Cowes, Wightlink from Portsmouth to Ryde and Fishbourne.
- Book early: ferries and beds fill up in August, the festival month.
- Buses: Southern Vectis runs the island’s bus network.
- Camping: no public camping at the Garlic Festival. The organiser points to campsites, hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs on the island.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Isle of Wight Garlic Festival 2027?
On Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 August 2027, from 10 am to 6 pm, near Newchurch.
How long is the ferry to the Isle of Wight?
About 25 minutes by Red Jet from Southampton to Cowes, just under an hour by car ferry to East Cowes, about 22 minutes by catamaran from Portsmouth to Ryde, says the festival.
Where is Newchurch?
In the east of the island, between Newport and Sandown. The festival site, just outside the village, is on the main Newport to Sandown road (A3056).