Forty Farms Fair brings over 40 Cumbrian food and craft stalls to Rheged on 21 November, 10am to 3pm, with free entry and talks. Checked November 2026.
The Forty Farms Fair returns to Rheged, near Penrith, on Saturday 21 November 2026 with more than 40 Cumbrian food producers, artisans and makers, and entry is free. It runs from 10am to 3pm and is held in partnership with Kendal Farmers Market and Kendal bakery Lovingly Artisan. Three free talks run through the day, including one from the Cumbrian chef Scott Fairweather.
The quick answer:
- When: Saturday 21 November, 10am to 3pm.
- Where: Rheged, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0DQ.
- Price: free entry and free talks.
- Talks: 11am, 12pm and 1pm in Screen 2 of Rheged’s cinema.
- Parking: Rheged’s event page asks anyone staying longer than five hours to register their number plate with a colleague in the café or deli, to avoid a parking charge.
The details come from Rheged’s release of 2 November and its Forty Farms Fair page, read on 5 November 2026.
What Rheged says
“Forty Farms Fair has become one of our favourite events at Rheged,” said Claire Logan-Stephens of Rheged. “Held three times a year, it’s a chance to celebrate Cumbria’s incredible food, crafts and independent businesses while allowing visitors to meet the people behind them.”
“The free talks will present a unique opportunity to hear from some of our Cumbrian heroes, and there are two new free exhibitions, from Forty Fells in our Gallery and Cosmic Cumbria in our Community Gallery,” she said. “Alongside our independent shops with an abundance of gift ideas, there will be two film experiences for our younger visitors: Festive Fun with Peppa Cinema Experience and Treasure Island CBeebies Panto 2026.”
The free talks in Screen 2
11am: Inspired by Lakeland: A Lakeland Publishing Journey in Six Books. The publisher David Felton looks back over a decade of independent publishing in Cumbria, its joys and its challenges, and goes behind the scenes of six titles: Forty Farms, The Lake District in 101 Maps & Infographics, the Lake District Sticker Book, the Countrystride walking guides and the newly published Forty Fells. Rheged’s page says authors with a book idea are welcome to bring their questions, as are entrepreneurs wondering if the book trade is “a route to riches (it’s not)”.
12pm: Proper Northern Cooking. Scott Fairweather tells the story behind his debut cookbook, BAIT., drawing on more than 20 years in professional kitchens. He will talk about the people, places and food that have influenced him, and why, in the words of the release, “good food shouldn’t be complicated”. Rheged’s page adds that he will cover how to self-publish a cookbook from scratch and the mistakes to avoid.
1pm: The Journey of Our Wool. Jess Mills and Diana Hall of Westmorland Farmshops & Co and Louisa Knapp of British Wool follow fleece from Chapel Farm in Orton, “where Tebay Services began”, through the British Wool depot to the knitwear sold in Westmorland Farmshops and at Rheged. According to Rheged’s page, it is cleaned, scoured, dyed and spun in Yorkshire, then knitted in Scotland and Ireland.
What the stallholders are bringing for Christmas
Visitors can browse food and drink, handmade gifts, homewares and seasonal decorations. Three stalls have said what they will have on the day.
Lovingly Artisan, the Kendal bakery, will have Black Forest Gâteau Cruffins, “complete with a festive nod to Rudolph’s red nose”, along with handmade mince pies and a new Christmas loaf.
Eden Yard returns with its Christmas gift boxes of natural oil, warming chilli oil and rosemary and garlic oil, which the release suggests as a finishing touch for roast potatoes.
Dan’s Plants will have locally grown Narcissus ‘Paperwhite’ and hyacinths, planted in antique pots and festive containers and timed to flower for Christmas. It is also selling DIY wreath kits with Scottish foliage, natural decorations and step-by-step instructions.
Who else will be there
Rheged’s event page lists these exhibitors under Kendal Farmers Market: Bean and Dunne, Black Horse Flowers, Chris’s Cheese, Christines Kitchen, Cross Apiary, Dan’s Plants, Deer n Dexter, Eden Yard, Gan Yam Brewery, Ginger Bakers, Haverigg Enterprise, Home Grown Here, Loopy Lisa, Lovingly Artisan, Mansergh Hall Farm Hog Roast, Martindale Muscovies and Waterfowl, Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese, My Gourmet Mushrooms, Nobel Roots, Northern Baked, Pennington Spirits & Liquors, Piperhole Goat Farm, Pistachio and Moore, Provino Wine, Sillfield Meat, Susans Farm, Sweet Treats by Martin, The Flying Chocsman, Wagtail Kitchen and Woodpool.
The indoor stands are Ali Sharman Handweaver, Cable and Blake, Dalemain Marmalade, Dalveen Lamb, David Whitaker Hand Weaver, Dodgeson Wood, Drakelaw Pottery, Emma Rose Goat Soap, Fell Pony Heritage Trust, Growing Well, Inspired by Lakeland, Scott Fairweather, Parnassus Leather, The Handmade Craft House and Wool Clip.
What it means for you
If you are planning a Christmas shopping trip on 21 November, this one costs nothing to get into, and the three talks run an hour apart from 11am, so you can fit them around the stalls. If you are staying in the south Lakes that day, Ambleside’s Christmas lights switch-on is on the same date. Our guide to Christmas markets near Kendal has the rest of the season.
Can’t make it? Rheged lists three more dates: Saturday 3 April 2027, Saturday 19 June 2027 and Saturday 20 November 2027.
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