The inaugural Flavour Playground food and drink festival will transform Villa Park's Sports Illustrated Warehouse from August 14 to 16, offering three days of culinary experiences, entertainment, and games. The event marks a new partnership between organisers and Aston Villa, with proceeds supporting Love Brum and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Charity.
Participating Restaurants and Celebrity Favourites
Among the lineup is Asha's, the Indian restaurant famously praised by pop star Pink during her 40,000-strong concert at Villa Park Stadium. Pink declared it "the best Indian restaurant she'd ever been to," cementing its status as a celebrity favourite. Another standout is Cylla, which MasterChef host and critic Grace Dent said serves "one of the best potato dishes in the entire UK." Local favourites Fumo and Vietnamese Street Kitchen will also be dishing up their signature fare.
Activities and Entertainment
Visitors can enjoy live music and DJ sets alongside interactive games. TOCA Social from Bullring will provide giant darts, golf, and football simulators. Additional attractions include giant roulette wheels, bowling, and axe throwing. All games are included in the ticket price, which starts from £13.79. Attendees can also watch live cooking demonstrations and sample wines, spirits, craft beverages, sauces, seasonings, and snacks.
Venue and Partnership
The Sports Illustrated Warehouse, which opened in April 2024 coinciding with a home game against Tottenham, has a capacity of 3,500. The space, previously part of the club's academy structure, now serves as a match-day fan zone and a gig venue. Sports Illustrated Tickets sponsors the venue as part of a 12-year partnership. The Flavour Playground is the first event in a multi-year collaboration between the organisers and Aston Villa.
Additional Events and Ticket Information
On August 12, doors open at 5pm for a screening of Aston Villa's UEFA Super Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain. Tickets for that event have sold out, but passes for the Flavour Playground festival are still available. Festival passes are priced from £13.79, inclusive of all activities. The event aims to raise funds for local charities Love Brum and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Charity.
