Brighton and Hove · England
Festival & event paella in Falmer, Brighton and Hove
Paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events in Falmer: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Open days
- Village fêtes
- Feeding crew and volunteers
Festival paella catering in Falmer
Festival paella catering in Falmer, cooked live
Few street foods pull a crowd like a huge paella pan. The sight and smell of it cooking brings people over, and portions are served quickly from the pan. We are often asked to cater county and country shows and sports clubs and race days, with chicken and chorizo paella, churros and seafood paella.
At a fête or field event near Falmer, a paella stall brings a hot, filling meal to a rural site. Tell us about the ground and access. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
- Area
- Falmer (BN1)
- Region
- Brighton and Hove
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Event catering near Falmer
Falmer is about 3 miles north-east of Brighton, in Brighton and Hove. For an event in Falmer, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. We cook in 30 places across Brighton and Hove.
If your event is in Stanmer Park, the organiser will need the landowner’s permission; we will supply our paperwork. For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as The Parish Church of St Lawrence, a paella stall adds a hot meal to the cakes and tombola. Within about 4 miles is the South Downs National Park, where events may have extra rules on vehicles and waste; we work to the site rules. The coast is within about 5 miles of Falmer, so for seaside events we plan a sheltered pitch, and seafood paella sells well by the sea.
Wherever your event is in BN1, we can bring festival paella catering to you. Your event could be at a home on Middle Street, Park Street and Mill Street or the roads around them. Nearby, we also cater events in Kingston near Lewes (2 miles east), Iford (3 miles east), Ovingdean (3 miles south), Rottingdean (3 miles south) and Roedean (3 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Brighton (3 miles south-west), Brighton and Hove (5 miles west), Hove (5 miles south-west), Carlton Hill (4 miles south-west), Hanover (3 miles south-west) and West Hill (4 miles south-west).
Well-known places in the area include Brighton And Hove Albion Football Club Museum (within half a mile south-west) and Lewes Castle (3.8 miles east). Open spaces near Falmer include Bevendean Down and Newmarket Hill.
- Nearby, you’ll find The Swan Inn (within half a mile west)
- Parks and local facilities nearby include University of Sussex Library (0.5 miles west)
What festival paella catering costs
There is nothing hidden: the price is based on:
- How long we’re needed on site
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- How many guests are eating
- Your choice of paellas
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
What we need to know
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- A picture of the space, if you can
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- The date and time of the event
Thinking about festival paella catering for your event in Falmer? Send us the details and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, send us your details through our quote form.
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and do not stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Nearby places to Falmer
More for events in Falmer
Common questions in Falmer
Do you cater in the South Downs National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Is Falmer close to London?
Roughly 44 miles from the centre of London.
What documents can you send?
Send your requirements and we’ll include them with our application.
Do you take everything away?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Can you bring crockery?
If you need them, yes. Crockery, cutlery and napkins, or good-quality disposables can be added to your booking.
Do you need power?
Tell us what’s available at the pitch and we’ll confirm what we need.
Will you have a stall at our event?
Send us the details, and we’ll confirm availability and requirements.
What do you need at the venue?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Paella compared with other options
Burger and hot dog stalls are familiar but similar. Paella adds something different in a food line-up. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What you get with us
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- No hidden extras in your quote
- We cover Falmer and the whole of Brighton and Hove
Take a look at Our prices page Or The cost guide.
How the day works
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That is what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Summer events in Falmer have daylight until about 9:15pm at midsummer and about 7:05pm by late September, which helps evening trading. Winter markets, dark by about 3:55pm, need a well-lit pitch.
- Tell us about the event, the crowd and the pitch.
- We reply with our menu, prices for visitors and requirements.
- Paperwork goes over in good time.
- We time the first pans for the lunchtime rush.
- When trading ends, the pitch is cleared and left clean.
Before we arrive
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Getting a price
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
A closer look at the menu
Chicken & chorizo paella
A crowd-pleaser for meat eaters.
Seafood paella
A seafood pan with prawns and mussels.
For planners, venues and organisers
Events in public spaces, like parks, typically need permission. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Hosting a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Nearly every event has some special diets. To plan for them:
- Make allergen information visible at every stall
- Put picnic tables near the traders
- Send traders one clear trader pack
- Make sure the line-up includes vegan and gluten-free options
We arrive at the agreed time and set up our pitch, following your trader pack.
Churros and tapas can join the menu.
Who books festival paella catering in Falmer?
It suits outdoor events of all sizes.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Crew, volunteer and VIP catering
- Village fêtes
- Agricultural and county shows
- Community events and open days
For visitors coming by rail, Falmer has its own station, Falmer station.
Before booking anyone
- The deadline for final numbers
- The venue requirements
- The deposit and payment dates
- How each diet is kept separate
- 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