Derry Chamber is pleased to share exciting news from the city’s thriving food and hospitality sector, as the LegenDerry Street Food Festival returns to the city centre on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th July.

Organised by the LegenDerry Food Network in partnership with Derry City and Strabane District Council, and supported by Tourism NI and Alchemy Technology Services, this two-day event continues to position the North West as a premier destination for sustainable, high-quality food experiences. The festival will animate Guildhall Street and Harbour Square, offering visitors and locals a curated showcase of local food producers, culinary talent, and artisan drinks in a vibrant, outdoor setting.

The festival comes at a particularly significant time for our region’s tourism sector. While Northern Ireland experienced a decline in overall tourism in 2024, the Derry City and Strabane District Council area has bucked this trend with remarkable growth. The area saw visitor spend increase by an impressive 29.1%, rising from £63.8 million in 2023 to £82.4 million in 2024, while overnight trips also grew by 10.57%. This performance positions the Derry and Strabane Council area firmly on track to achieve its ambitious tourism strategy goal of doubling visitor spend to £100 million by 2025.

Building on this momentum and timed to align with the global attention brought by the 153rd Open Championship in Portrush, the festival presents an ideal opportunity to welcome an international audience, drive city centre footfall, and reinforce the North West’s reputation for first-class hospitality.

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr. Ruairí McHugh hailed the festival, saying:
“It’s fantastic to see the LegenDerry Street Food Festival back and shining a spotlight on the dynamic food scene that continues to grow across our city and district. LegenDerry Food has become a real badge of quality and innovation, and this festival is a brilliant platform for our street food creators and producers to showcase their incredible talents.

 “The Open Championship is set to draw visitors from all over the world, many of whom will take the opportunity to explore the wider region, so this is a wonderful opportunity to engage with new audiences and fly the flag for the North West.”

Admission is free and the festival will run from 2:30pm to 11:00pm each day.

Full vendor lineups and entertainment schedules will be announced soon. For updates, visit www.legenderryfood.com/events.

Events like these not only showcase the vibrancy of our local food scene but also strengthen our wider local economy, and we encourage all our members to come along to enjoy and support this great initiative.

With the 153rd Open Championship in Portrush just around the corner, it’s an exciting time for the region to shine on both the culinary and global sporting stage.