East Sussex · England
Festival & event paella in Upper Dicker, East Sussex
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events for events in Upper Dicker and across East Sussex.
- Sports clubs and race days
- Village fêtes and summer fairs
- Christmas and farmers’ markets
Festival paella catering for Upper Dicker events
How our festival paella catering works in Upper Dicker
Crew meals are timed to your schedule, so your team eats well on a long day. Typical bookings include christmas and farmers’ markets and crew, volunteer and VIP catering, with seafood paella, vegan paella and giant-pan paella.
Near Upper Dicker, events may be far from shops and cafés, so a paella stall is a welcome sight. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Where
- Upper Dicker (BN27)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
How the day works
Expect a friendly, organised team. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and cook and serve without fuss. Evening events in Upper Dicker have light until about 9:15pm at midsummer; after dark, we need a lit pitch.
- Send the event name, expected visitors and pitch size.
- You get our stall menu and what we need on site.
- Paperwork goes over in good time.
- We time the first pans for the lunchtime rush.
- At close, we pack down and tidy up.
Before we arrive
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Name one person we can ask on the day
Ask for a quote
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Perfect for your event in Upper Dicker
Organisers book paella because it draws people into the food area and serves them fast.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Upper Dicker book us for occasions like:
- Food and music festivals
- Open days
- School fairs and fundraisers
- Village fêtes and summer fairs
School fairs, for a school like Bede's Prep School, are a natural fit for a paella stall.
What to look for in a quote
- Who provides the crockery
- What the price includes, item by item
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Payment terms and deposit
Nearby places to Upper Dicker
More for events in Upper Dicker
Organising for someone else?
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Planning for every diet
With a little notice, every diet is easy. We suggest:
- Feed crew and volunteers at set times
- Put all trader information in one pack
- Check allergen info is on display
- Put picnic tables near the traders
Allergen information is available at the stall, and each pan is labelled.
Crew, volunteer and VIP catering.
Your questions about festival paella catering in Upper Dicker
Do you come out to small places like Upper Dicker?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Do you trade at school fairs around Upper Dicker?
Yes, with the school’s permission. Send us the date, pitch and expected numbers.
Do you take everything away?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, and it is a popular combination. Tapas first, paella to follow.
What if the weather’s bad?
We cook under cover, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We’ll agree a wet-weather plan with you.
Do you do crew catering?
Yes, timed to your schedule. Tell us numbers and timings.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
Can you trade at our festival or fair?
Tell us about your event, and we’ll confirm availability and requirements.
Upper Dicker events: pitches and permissions
Upper Dicker is about 2 miles west of Hailsham, in East Sussex. Across the BN27 area, we can bring the pans to you. We cook in all 289 towns and villages in East Sussex. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 15 miles away.
Running a fête for a church like Holy Trinity? A paella pan draws people in. For visitors coming by rail, Berwick (Sussex) station is about 2.5 miles away. Within about 5 miles is the South Downs National Park, where events may have extra rules on vehicles and waste; we work to the site rules.
We cover events in every part of BN27. We can cater an event on streets such as Camberlot Road, Old Forge Close and Coldharbour Road or the roads around them. Other places close to Upper Dicker for festival paella catering include Lower Dicker (1 mile north-east), Tile Hurst (1 mile east), Lower Horsebridge (2 miles north-east), Nash Street (2 miles north) and Upper Horsebridge (2 miles east). Further out, we also cater in Eastbourne (7 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (12 miles east), Seaford (8 miles south-west), Lewes (9 miles west), Crowborough (13 miles north) and St Leonards (15 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Agricultural Museum (3.6 miles south) and Hellingly Hospital Railway (2.8 miles north-east). Open spaces near Upper Dicker include Firle Beacon.
- Nearby schools include Park Mead Primary School (within half a mile south) and Hailsham Community College (2.3 miles east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Plough Inn (under half a mile south-west)
DIY paella versus live catering
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
About the dishes
Giant paella pans
It’s the giant pan people come to see.
Chicken & chorizo paella
Smoky and filling, popular with families.
Live paella or other catering?
Hot-cabinet food lacks theatre. Paella cooking in full view sells itself. There is 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.
Why book with us
- A clear, itemised quote
- Catering across East Sussex, including Upper Dicker
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
Take a look at Our pricing And The cost guide.
What festival paella catering costs
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- How many staff you need
- The number of people
- How long we’re needed on site
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Getting an accurate quote
For a quote, it helps to have:
- The address or venue name
- Expected numbers
- Which courses you have in mind
- Anything your venue supplies
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, use our quote form.
- 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