Fife hosts Scotland’s only festival dedicated to Real Bread – this is what you can see

It returns to Bowhouse in St Monans on Saturday, February 24 for a second year after welcoming almost 1000 people to its inaugural event in 2023. The festival is organised by award-winning local charity Scotland The Bread and rounds off Real Bread Week. Ticket details are at https://scotlandthebread.org/event/the-scottish-festival-of-real-bread-2024/

The programme features a line-up packed with events championing those who produce Real Bread, from soil to slice, and that cater to those who value its place on the table. It will help Real Bread newbies wanting to learn how to make the most of their breadmachine, showcase creatives during cyanotype photography workshops or straw weaving sessions, while children who can get hands-on making sourdough flatbreads and have a blast threshing and milling grain at The Big Thrash.

This year’s new festival marquee will host two exciting productions. In the morning there will be a rare performance of The Breadagogues’ glowingly reviewed show ARISE! Songs & Stories for the Bread Revolution, which last played to a sold-out audience at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2023. A

After lunch the marquee will host the Scottish premiere of Six Inches of Soil, followed by a panel discussion. This feature-length documentary film tells the inspiring story of young British farmers standing up against the industrial food system and transforming the way they produce food - to heal the soil, our health and provide for local communities.

The main stage will host an introduction to Nourish Scotland’s ambitious new Public Diners campaign, exploring the creation of infrastructure for a Good Food Nation, with a discussion led by Pete Ritchie, director of Nourish Scotland, alongside Lyndsay Cochrane from The People’s Bread project, Professor Wendy Russell (The Rowett Institute) and community bakers from Glasgow and Perthshire.

The prize-giving of the Scottish Bread Championship will also be a festival highlight - it is Scotland’s only Real Bread competition, attracting increasing numbers of entries from professional and amateur bakers across the country.

Andrew Whitley, Scotland The Bread chairman and co-founder of the Real Bread Campaign, said: “The tide is turning against ultra-processed food and people are keen to get access to additive-free food grown without nature-harming chemicals.

“Bread isn’t called ’the staff of life’ for nothing. It’s still at the heart of many diets and the Festival gives everyone an opportunity to exercise their right to good food, starting with our daily bread. Once you’ve tasted the real thing – where it comes from, how easy it is to make it yourself, why it needs to be available to everybody – there’s no turning back!”