We are extremely thrilled to announce that we are once again teaming up with Woodfire to host our second bagglfest event!
This intimate event (80x campers) will be a great way to let off some steam, meet a bunch of businesses, whilst enjoying some great food and great company. All you need to do is make your way to the Woodfire campsite, with your tent and camping gear, as everything else will be taken care of!
Throughout the day there will be a number of optional activities to get involved with, such as foraging, building fires for cooking, as well as food prep for cooking on open fires. There will also be a sporting competition too… The Molkky cup! Equally, our guests will be welcome to simply kick-back by their tents or even wander on down to one of the local pubs.
Woodfire Camping… the field of dreams!
Established in 2018, Woodfire has been described by The Guardian as a “field of dreams” and headed up The Telegraph’s “gourmet guide to camping”.
Whether it’s their beautiful aesthetics, sustainable approach or outdoor restaurant which, according to BBC Good Food magazine is “why you’ll really want to book”, Woodfire has established itself as a favourite amongst discerning foodies who love the outdoors.
This amazing venue is the creation of Stella & Griff, both of whom are natural born campers, and very much look forward to welcoming you!
What you can expect
Although bagglfest is a kind of a corporate event, it’s also a non-corporate event, in the sense that it’s a day-off to kick back and have some fun. All of the activities are optional, so there’s no pressure to get involved. You can pick and choose and or do whatever you want… within reason!
Below is an itinerary covering the various activities throughout the day:
11am – 12pm: Arrival with Canapés & Lunch
Guests will arrive late morning/midday and will be greeted by canapés and lunch. Woodfire will serve a selection of meat and vegetarian canapés all sourced from local suppliers.
Don’t panic if you can’t make it until later in the day! The above is not a compulsory arrival time!
1pm: The Molkky Cup Tournament
Molkky is a Finnish game whose origins stem from the Vikings. Originally played with skittles fashioned from the bones of defeated enemies, Molkky is now made of wood but has lost none of its Scandinavian brutality. Well, we’ve made that bit up actually but it is a brilliant game – hugely popular and easy to play with a drink in your hand. Throughout the day we will host Molkky tournaments for teams or individuals to play. Winners will receive their own Woodfire-branded handmade Molkky set.
3pm: Foraging Walks
A local expert will take guests on trails around the nearby commons and woods on the South Downs, looking for fungi and edible plants; it’s a fantastic way to explore and develop an understanding of the area or just enjoy a chat and some gentle exercise. The walk will last for around an hour and a half and on return, guests can cook their finds on their own firepit
4pm: Wood chopping and building a fire for cooking
Everything at Woodfire is cooked over wood; an ancient method that is enjoying a resurrection and is used in many restaurants, such as Ottolenghi’s ROVI, Neil Rankin’s Temper and Scully’s. Guests will be taught how to chop wood properly and build a fire in their own firepit as well as the benefits and flavours of different types of wood for cooking.
5pm: Food prep demos and workshops
For the more gung-ho, we will run a series of workshops depending on availability of local produce at the time. These will include practical demonstrations of plucking and preparing a game bird such as a pigeon then removing and cooking the breast – guests can get involved with their own bird or just watch; as well as a fermentation and pickling masterclass – again, enjoying a trend in restaurants and great accompaniments to fire cooked food.
6:30pm: Potjie cooking + live acoustic background music
The evening meal will be our signature dish of Sussex summer beef stew cooked in huge cast iron cauldrons. The beef is from the Dexter cattle reared on the Westerlands Estate where we are and will be served with flatbreads and gremolata.
7:30pm: Live Music
Since Woodfire is based in a black-out area of the South Downs, amplified music is a big no-no, therefore guests will instead enjoy an evening of live acoustic background music with The Embers. Please note: guests will not be required to sing ‘Kum ba yah’!
9pm: Relax by a campfire!
From 9pm onwards guests can chill by the main open fire, or take a fire pit back to their tent and relax.
Book tickets
Tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis, therefore please submit your details below and a member of our team will contact you within two working days!