Oxfordshire · England
Festival & event paella in Ardington, Oxfordshire
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events for events in Ardington and across Oxfordshire.
- Country shows
- Feeding crew and volunteers
- Open days
Live festival paella catering in Ardington
About our festival paella catering in Ardington
Organisers can book us as a stall or as caterers for staff, crew, volunteers or VIP areas. Typical bookings include summer fairs and fêtes and crew, volunteer and VIP catering, with vegan paella, chicken and chorizo paella and giant-pan paella.
For a village fête or field event near Ardington, a paella stall brings a hot, filling meal to a rural site. Tell us about the ground and access. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated.
- Area
- Ardington (OX12)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
How the day works
The cooking is part of the entertainment. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook. Summer events in Ardington have daylight until about 9:25pm at midsummer and about 7:10pm by late September, which helps evening trading. Winter markets, dark by about 4:00pm, need a well-lit pitch.
- We check your dates.
- We agree what we’ll serve and where.
- Burners and pans go up.
- Pans are cooking as gates open.
- We serve, then pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Give us your final numbers and diets
How to get a price
Planning festival paella catering in Ardington? Send us the details and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. To get in touch, use our quote form.
Read more
Planning for every diet
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Feed crew and volunteers at set times
- Put picnic tables near the traders
- Make allergen information visible at every stall
- Check traders’ packaging and waste plans
We cook in full view of visitors, and serve from the pan throughout the event.
Crew, volunteer and VIP catering.
A closer look at the menu
Vegan paella
A proper vegan main, in its own pan.
Chicken & chorizo paella
Smoky and filling, popular with families.
Space, weather and the venue
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- A pitch away from tents and structures
- Your trader pack and site rules
- Your arrangements for power, water and waste
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before booking.
Menu ideas
- Giant paella pans
- Tapas
- Vegan paella
- Churros
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
Should I cook it myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around 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. Ask us for a quote and compare.
How we price festival paella catering
Every event is priced individually, and the price depends on a few things:
- How many staff you need
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Timings and hours
- Parking and unloading
Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We will send you a quote.
What to tell us
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Send us the date, your venue or OX12 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just use our quote form.
Nearby places to Ardington
More for events in Ardington
Planners, venues and businesses
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Throwing a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Ardington: your questions answered
Is Ardington close to London?
About 56 miles from central London.
Do you come out to small places like Ardington?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Do you do starters?
Yes, it is the classic pairing. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Can you feed our volunteers?
Yes, timed to your schedule. Tell us numbers and timings.
When do you arrive?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We will agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you.
Who clears up?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Can you cater for children?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we will plan a pan with them in mind.
What space do you need to cook?
Less than you might think: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. Send us a picture if you’re not sure.
Occasions we cook for in Ardington
It copes with peak times, because it is served from big pans.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Ardington book us for occasions like:
- Country shows
- Music and food festivals
- Seasonal markets
- Feeding crew and volunteers
For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as Church of the Holy Trinity, a paella stall adds a hot meal to the cakes and tombola.
What to look for in a quote
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- What happens if it rains
- How long the team stays
- How late numbers can change
Running an event in Ardington
Ardington is about 2 miles east of Wantage, in Oxfordshire. We bring festival paella catering to homes, gardens and venues in Ardington and the surrounding area. Ardington is one of 443 places in Oxfordshire we cover. You can also see our page for Oxford, about 13 miles away.
If you’re organising a summer fair or fundraiser for a school such as Wantage Primary Academy, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
This part of Oxfordshire takes in OX12. Streets in the area include High Street, Church Street and Well Street, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Neighbouring places where we cater events include East Lockinge (1 mile south), West Hendred (1 mile east), East Hendred (2 miles east), Rowstock (3 miles east) and Farnborough (4 miles south). We also cook in nearby towns such as Oxford (13 miles north-east), Didcot (6 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (7 miles north-east), Witney (14 miles north), Carterton (15 miles north-west) and Faringdon (10 miles north-west).
A little further out are Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection (2.3 miles north-west). Not far away are Letcombe Valley and Chain Hill.
- Nearby schools include King Alfred's (2.2 miles west)
- Local pubs include The Boar's Head pub (within half a mile east)
- 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