Villa Park welcomes “massive” new festival with chance to win Harry Kane Golden Boot

Aston Villa supporters and families will have the opportunity to experience Villa Park in a completely different way this summer after the club unveiled a new three-day food, drink and entertainment festival featuring dozens of local businesses, interactive activities and even the chance to win a Harry Kane Golden Boot.

The Flavour Playground will take over the Sports Illustrated Warehouse at Villa Park from August 14 to August 16, transforming the venue into a celebration of Birmingham's food scene alongside live entertainment and family-friendly attractions.

The event is another sign of Aston Villa's ambition to turn Villa Park into a year-round destination, with the club continuing to expand its non-matchday offering following the opening of the Sports Illustrated Warehouse.

Villa Park festival combines food, entertainment and football

Visitors will be able to sample dishes from some of the Midlands' best-known restaurants, including Asha's, Fumo, Kyoudai Ramen, Vietnamese Street Kitchen, Seafood City, The White Lion, The Mayan, Cylla and Colliery Smokehouse.

A wide selection of complimentary drinks will also be available throughout the festival, with brands including Vinca Wines, Spirits of Anarchy, Hip Pop and Kingfisher taking part.

Away from the food, organisers have included a range of interactive activities within the admission price, including axe throwing, bowling, giant darts, golf simulators and football simulators.

Every visitor will also receive a Flavour Passport, allowing them to collect stamps from participating vendors to unlock exclusive discounts, tasting menus and VIP dining prizes.

Football supporters will have an added incentive to test their skills, with visitors able to compete in a penalty challenge for the chance to win a coveted Harry Kane Golden Boot, inspired by England's record goalscorer and former FIFA World Cup Golden Boot winner.

Festival could become permanent Villa Park attraction

The festival will also feature live music, DJs and entertainment throughout the weekend, creating what organisers hope will become one of Birmingham's biggest summer events.

Importantly, all profits from the event will be donated to LoveBrum and University Hospitals Birmingham Charity, adding a charitable element to the weekend.

Adult tickets start from £23.56, while children's admission begins at £13.79, with each ticket providing entry to a four-hour session. Family and group packages are also available.

If the inaugural edition proves successful, Aston Villa are expected to consider making Flavour Playground a permanent fixture on the club's summer calendar, further strengthening Villa Park's role as a year-round entertainment venue rather than simply a football stadium.

The festival follows a series of recent initiatives centred around the Sports Illustrated Warehouse, which has increasingly become a hub for supporter events and major gatherings outside of matchdays.

FGG says: Villa Park is becoming much more than a football stadium

Modern football clubs increasingly rely on non-matchday income, and Aston Villa are embracing that trend. The Flavour Playground offers something for supporters, families and Birmingham residents alike, while also raising money for charity.

Throw in the unique opportunity to win a Harry Kane Golden Boot, and Villa have created an event that should appeal well beyond their own fanbase. If attendance is strong, it would be no surprise to see this become a regular feature of Villa Park's summer schedule.