Food Connections, Bristol’s unique, citywide food event, will be hosting the world’s first morning coffee rave on Friday May 8th. Extract Coffee in St Werburgh’s will provide the perfect venue for the party in its colourful warehouse. But this is no ordinary rave.
The morning will start with dance workshops to the sounds of the Caribbean – a mix of calypso, cumbia and merengue. Ravers can expect the finest New Dawn Traders’ espressos and spiced sipping chocolate with delicious Hart’s Bakery cinnamon rolls; a serious kick-start to their day.
And they are no ordinary coffee beans. These beans will make history! For the very first time since the last era of working sail ships, the beans will be travelling to England the old fashioned way – over the high seas.
The coffee and cocoa beans have been imported by the New Dawn Traders from the Dominican Republic, sailed emission-free aboard the pioneering engineless tall ship Tres Hombres. The boat can be tracked as it makes its way across the seas to Falmouth. From there, the beans will be loaded onto a First Great Western train and then carried by electric rickshaw to their destination where they will be roasted by artisans at Extract Coffee Roasters.
Alex Geldenhuys of New Dawn Traders says: “As we speak these green beans are making their way from the Dominican Republic to our shores. Our exotic treasures are chosen for their exceptional taste and ethical goodness from soil to serving with a focus on fair transport as many people are not really aware of how damaging cargo shipping is.”
Lorna Knapman of Food Connections says: “This event is what Food Connections is all about. We want to connect people with good food and drink as well as offering inspiration and experiences to help change the way we think and eat. It’s going to be really fun, however there is a serious message behind what we do.”
This event is a taster of what’s to come, with the full Food Connections programme launched on 26th March.
The event will run from 7 am – 10 am. It will be held at Extract Coffee Roasters, Unit 1, Gatton Road, Avon, Bristol BS2 9SH. Tickets are £8.00 (including a cinnamon bun and espresso or sipping chocolate) and will be available to buy through the Food Connections website on 27th March.
People are encouraged to dress loudly.