Oxfordshire · England
Festival Paella Catering in Appleton
Paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events in Appleton: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Open days
- Charity and school events
- Sports clubs and race days
Festival paella catering in Appleton
How our festival paella catering works in Appleton
Paella eats well from a bowl with a fork, standing up or sitting on the grass. Popular choices include churros, giant-pan paella and seafood paella, and typical bookings are for food and music festivals and sports clubs and race days.
At a fête or field event near Appleton, a paella stall brings a hot, filling meal to a rural site. Tell us about the ground and access. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan.
- Location
- Appleton (OX13)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Running an event in Appleton
Appleton is about 4 miles north-west of Abingdon-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire. Events in Appleton are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cater in all 443 towns and villages across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Oxford, about 6 miles away.
School fairs, for a school like Appleton Church of England (A) Primary School, are a natural fit for a paella stall. For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as Church of St Lawrence, a paella stall adds a hot meal to the cakes and tombola.
Here we cover the OX13 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Local streets include Whites Forge, Town Furlong and Badswell Lane; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. For events just outside Appleton, we cover Northmoor (2 miles north-west), Henwood (2 miles east), Cumnor (2 miles north-east), Wootton (2 miles east) and Chawley (3 miles north-east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Oxford (6 miles north-east), Didcot (9 miles south-east), Abingdon-on-Thames (4 miles south-east), Witney (8 miles north-west), Carterton (11 miles west) and Wantage (9 miles south).
A little further out are FitzHarris Castle (4.2 miles south-east) and Abingdon Community Hospital (3.8 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Hitchcopse Pit and Cumnor Hill.
- Nearby, you’ll find The Plough Inn (within half a mile east)
Towns and villages near Appleton
More for events in Appleton
For planners, venues and organisers
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Appleton? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
Planning the cooking area
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- Vehicle access to the pitch at set-up and break-down
- Details of power, water and waste arrangements
- Flat, firm ground
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Seafood paella
- Giant paella pans
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Churros
- Tapas
Occasions we cook for in Appleton
It covers several diets with one trader, which saves pitches.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- School and charity events
- Seasonal markets
- Open days and community events
- Festivals
For visitors coming by rail, the nearest station is Oxford station, about 5 miles north-east.
What to look for in a quote
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Whether travel is included
Dietary needs and planning tips
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Put picnic tables near the traders
- Make allergen information visible at every stall
- Ensure the line-up includes vegan and gluten-free options
- Check how many portions traders can serve
Pans cook in full view, serving throughout the event.
Tapas and churros can be added to a stall menu.
Is live paella right for your event?
Most street food is cooked one order at a time. Paella is cooked in big batches and served from the pan, so queues move quickly. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
Why Appleton hosts choose us
- A clear, itemised quote
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
Read Our pricing Or Our guide to catering costs.
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it is in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
Questions from Appleton
Do you come out to small places like Appleton?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Which station should guests use for Appleton?
Oxford station, about 5 miles north-east of the centre.
Will you have a stall at our event?
Tell us about the event, dates and pitch, and we’ll let you know if we are available.
Do you do desserts?
Yes. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices.
Should we have more than one paella?
Generally two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we will suggest the mix.
How soon do we need to book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Do you come to Appleton?
Yes, we do. Appleton is one of the places we cover. Tell us your date and we’ll check availability.
Is halal food available?
Yes. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
What festival paella catering costs
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- The length of service
- Distance and access to the venue
- The number of people
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
Details that help
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Which courses you have in mind
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Where the event is
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
Step by step
Serving is fast: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so even a long queue moves. When service is finished, we pack down. Summer events in Appleton have daylight until about 9:25pm at midsummer and about 7:10pm by late September, which helps evening trading. For winter markets, dark by about 3:55pm, the pitch needs lighting.
- Tell us about the event, the crowd and the pitch.
- We reply with our menu, prices for visitors and requirements.
- We send the documents the event asks for.
- We time the first pans for the lunchtime rush.
- At close, we pack down and tidy up.
Before we arrive
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
Getting a price
Send us the date, your venue or OX13 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
- Cooked live in giant pans at your event
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options
- Paella, tapas, canapés and desserts
- Sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff