MARITIME FESTIVAL – A Dublin Bay Prawn Festival will be held in Howth, Co. Dublin from April 27th – 29th. The Dublin Bay Prawn is highly regarded around the world, appearing on the menus of many of the world's best restaurants writes Liz Bourke. This small orange crustacean is know by a few names, depending on who you ask: the 'Nephrop' by scientists, 'Langoustine' when sold whole in seafood restaurants, as 'Scampi' when its tail meat is deep fried in breadcrumbs or simply a 'prawn' by the fishermen who catch it.
Regardless it is, without doubt, one of the tastiest foods out there and as Howth is considered the home of the Dublin Bay Prawn the festival is a celebration of all things Dublin Bay and all things fun. Last year's Food Village was the highlight of the Festival and this year promises to be no different. Whatever way you like your Dublin Bay Prawns - barbecued, whole, shelled, fried, skewered, marinated, sauced – Howth's many award winning restaurants will serve their favourite prawn dishes in bite sized portions at the "Street Food Fair", in addition to a variety of other miniature dishes, so you can enjoy the many tastes that Howth offers. The food village will also include the ever-popular cookery demonstrations for all those budding cooks.
During the course of the festival Howth's award winning restaurants will present a very special three course Festival Menu (€30) featuring some of their best selling dishes in addition, of course, to showcasing their very own Dublin Bay Prawn dish. Howth's pubs are in on the act too and will also feature their take on the little icon offering a prawn dish and a drink for €12.
For those considering a dining experience with a difference we have the solution! At the Mystery Dine Around guests take a tour, course by course, of a selection of Howth's finest restaurants finishing with a post dinner tipple in the Festival Club. Where the Dine Around will take you .... no one knows. What is known is that you will have a whale of a time (marine theme pun intended). Tickets include a Sparkling Wine Reception, 3 courses in 3 different restaurants, each to include a glass of wine and a post meal drink at the Festival Club.
Also on offer over the course of the weekend will be street entertainment and a programme of walks, talks and seaside antics during the day. As the sun goes down over Howth Harbour the fun continues as each evening the festival offers choices such as a Mystery Dine Around, Fireworks on the Harbour and in-house musical entertainment in Howth's various pubs and venues.
Programme details available here
