Pickle festival is coming to London and we are so here for it
Pickle lovers unite: a new food festival is rolling into the capital of the United Kingdom next month for a two-day extravaganza. Here’s everything you need to know, including how to book tickets ASAP.
Described as the ultimate showcase of craft, creativity, and culture, Britain’s dedicated pickle festival, known as The Big Brine, is engineered to draw the country’s most devout briners and picklers to Hackney Bridge for a weekend of tasty treats.
The savoury East London carnival promises to ‘bring together the worlds of food, wellness, sustainability, hospitality and alternative eating’ with live cooking demonstrations, workshops, and some of the country’s finest artisan producers.
Among the industry leaders confirmed to take part in The Big Brine is MasterChef 2026 finalist Kirsten Dodd.
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Excitingly, the Adelaide-born communications specialist has been booked to host an exclusive live cooking demonstration at the East Bay Lane event where she will ‘share her expertise, creative techniques and love of all things pickled and fermented’.
Dodd will be joined by Nick Vadasz, whose eponymous brand is sponsoring The Big Brine.
As reported by the Hackney Gazette, the businessman will offer practical sessions at the event for budding briners.
“From getting hands-on with Nick Vadasz AKA The Picklesman, an expert voice on pickling and fermentation flavour to chefs from some of the UK’s hottest restaurants serving up dishes with a pickle-inspired twist, The Big Brine promises a sensory journey into one of the most exciting corners of modern food culture,” a spokesperson informed the publication.
Foodie personalities, music, and live DJ sets are also set to take place over the weekend, sponsored by the likes of Jameson Black Barrel, Absolut Tabasco, and Sylt.
Hackney Foodbank has been named as this year’s charity partner, with ticket holders being encouraged to bring non-perishable goods to the festival.
Once collected, these will be directly handed over to Hackney Foodbank, which supports over 7,200 people annually, after the event ends.
How much are The Big Brine tickets?
So, how much will a weekend at the first-ever Big Brine set you back? Probably not as much as you would expect.
For those who want to attend the festival between 11.30am and 4.30pm on Saturday 12 September, a ticket will cost £22.25.
Entry between 5.30pm and 10.30pm is the same, which means it’ll cost you £44.50 to attend an all-day session.
On Sunday (13 September), The Big Brine is open from 12pm to 5pm, with tickets costing £22.25.
To snag yours, head to The Big Brine London website now.
Ella Scott