Dig out the carrot costume. On Saturday 31 October, Civic House is throwing a free harvest celebration with a cookery demo from a MasterChef chef, a band of singing fruit-and-veg sellers, and prizes for the best vegetable-themed outfit.

The essentials

  • What: Glasgow Going for Gold Harvest Celebration
  • When: Saturday 31 October, 11am to 3pm
  • Where: Civic House, 26 Civic Street, Glasgow G4 9RH
  • Cost: Free
  • Booking: Free tickets are listed on Eventbrite by Glasgow Food Policy Partnership, and venue operator Agile City invites visitors to "reserve your spot", so we advise registering in advance.

Organisers describe it as "a fun event for families and anyone interested in seasonal food".

Chef on the menu

The headline act is Rohan Wadke, who has appeared on MasterChef and Great British Menu and will lead a seasonal cookery demonstration. According to the event listing, the Pune-born chef has more than 20 years' experience in the UK hospitality industry.

Songs about sprouts?

Music comes from the BarrowBand, described by organisers as "a real band of multi-instrumentalist/singing costermongers". A costermonger is the old name for a street seller of fruit and veg. The band performs alongside what the listing calls "an amazing, kinetic, magical fruit and a veg barrow". Their website bills them simply as songs about vegetables and fruit.

Get your costume on

The event falls on Halloween itself, so the vegetable-themed costume contest may be the easiest dressing-up decision families make all week. Organisers promise prizes for the best outfit but have not said what they are. There will also be seasonal food activities and free food samples.

Why Going for Gold?

The day is part of Glasgow Food Policy Partnership's Going for Gold campaign, and the event is funded by the National Lottery. The campaign supports the city's bid for a Sustainable Food Places Gold Award. Glasgow won Silver in November 2023 and has since been invited to apply for Gold. Aberdeen became Scotland's first Gold holder in 2025.

Speaking to Sustainable Food Places earlier this year, GFPP coordinator Riikka Gonzalez called the campaign "an opportunity to engage with the public and encourage new organisations to come on board to take tangible actions towards more healthy and sustainable food to land on people's plates."

Getting there

Civic House is a converted 1920s print works, a three-minute walk from Cowcaddens subway and about seven minutes from Queen Street and Charing Cross stations. Buses 7, 68, 71A, 72, 75 and M3 stop nearby on Garscube Road. There is no dedicated parking, only paid bays on surrounding streets.

The ground floor has step-free ramp access via the garage. There is no lift to the first floor, so anyone with access needs should check with the organisers in advance.

As ever, check with Glasgow Food Policy Partnership before setting off for any last-minute changes.