Oxfordshire · England
Festival & event paella in Upton, Oxfordshire
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events in Upton and the surrounding area.
- Seasonal markets
- Sports clubs and race days
- Village fêtes
Festival paella catering near Upton
About our festival paella catering in Upton
The cooking is part of the show. People stop, watch and come back to eat. Typical bookings include school and charity events and festivals, with churros, seafood paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
A fête near Upton might be on a field with no mains power; tell us what’s available and we will plan around it. Timings are planned around your event, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
- Area
- Upton (OX11)
- Area hub
- Oxfordshire
- Diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Should I cook it myself?
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. 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.
Before you choose a spot
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Access for unloading at set-up
- Flat, firm ground
- Your arrangements for power, water and waste
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Menu ideas
- Churros
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Tapas
- Giant paella pans
Events we cater in Upton
It adds theatre to a food line-up.
Here are some of the events we cook for:
- Country shows
- Festivals
- Open days and community events
- Christmas and farmers’ markets
For visitors coming by rail, the nearest station is Didcot Parkway station, about 2.4 miles north.
What to look for in a quote
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Payment terms and deposit
- What happens if it rains
- Exactly what’s included in the price
Running an event in Upton
Upton is about 2 miles south of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. Whether your event is in the middle of Upton or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. We cater in 443 places across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Oxford, about 12 miles away.
For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as Church of St Mary, a paella stall adds a hot meal to the cakes and tombola. If you’re organising a summer fair or fundraiser for a school such as Blewbury Endowed Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Within about 5 miles is the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, where events may have extra rules on vehicles and waste; we’ll follow the site’s requirements.
We cover events in every part of OX11 and the streets around it. Whether your event is on High Street, London Road and Pound Lane or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. For events just outside Upton, we cover West Hagbourne (1 mile north), Coscote (1 mile north), East Hagbourne (1 mile north-east), Blewbury (1 mile south-east) and Chilton (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (12 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (7 miles north), Wantage (7 miles west), Grove (7 miles west), Faringdon (15 miles west) and Benson (7 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Atlas Computer Laboratory (2.4 miles west) and Brightwell Castle (4.7 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Churn Hill and Mowbray Fields.
- Schools near Upton include St Birinus School (1.8 miles north-east)
- Pubs nearby include The George at Upton pub (less than half a mile south-west)
Catering for every guest
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To make it work smoothly:
- Ask about peak-time capacity
- Put picnic tables near the traders
- Feed crew and volunteers at set times
- Send traders one clear trader pack
We clear the pitch and leave it as we found it.
Catering for crew and VIP areas.
Also in Upton
How it works
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first while the paella cooks. At midsummer, events in Upton stay light until about 9:25pm, so evening trading typically finishes in daylight in high summer. Winter markets, dark by about 3:55pm, need a well-lit pitch.
- Send the event name, expected visitors and pitch size.
- We reply with our menu, prices for visitors and requirements.
- We send the documents the event asks for.
- On the day, the pans are on before the busiest hours.
- When trading ends, the pitch is cleared and left clean.
Getting ready for the day
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Let us know the timings for the day
Getting a price
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Read more
Upton: your questions answered
Is Upton close to London?
Roughly 50 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Is Upton too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Can you trade at our festival or fair?
Send us the details, and we’ll reply with our availability and what we need.
Do you cater for young children?
Of course. A simple chicken paella is generally popular with children. Include children in your numbers.
Will there be enough food?
Quantities depend on numbers, timing and courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
When do you arrive?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
What documents can you send?
Send us your list.
Is there a vegan option?
Yes. A vegan paella pan sits alongside the meat and seafood pans.
The menu, dish by dish
Giant paella pans
Huge pans of golden rice.
Chicken & chorizo paella
Smoky and filling.
For planners, venues and organisers
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Hosting a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
What affects the price in Upton
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Parking and unloading
- How many staff you need
- How many courses
- The paellas you choose
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
What to tell us
To check availability and price, we need:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Which courses you have in mind
- Anything your venue supplies
- A picture of where we’d cook
Thinking about festival paella catering for your event in Upton? Send us the details and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. Just 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