Thousands of people are set to descend on Nantwich over the next three days as the annual Food and Drink Festival gets underway.
Venues and marquees across the town centre will be staging events and food and drinks demonstrations with products from across the country on show.
Local businesses have come together to organise the festival, which they say this year promises to the biggest yet.
More than 150 different producers and sellers are attending, not including the many town centre businesses laying on events and special offers.
There will be two large food marquees at the Bowling Green and Love Lane car parks, both having their own street food sellers and entertainment stage, where live music will be played throughout the weekend.
There are also workshops to get involved in, plenty of kids’ activities, and scores of exhibitors around the town.
It all gets underway at a special opening night later today (September 5) with a feast of street entertainment, live music and oodles of food.
Organisers say there will be a party atmosphere with professional fire-eaters, stilt-walkers and jugglers providing entertainment as the giant food marquees stay open late to 8pm.
They say the Mornflake-sponsored festival, which also runs tomorrow and Sunday (September 6-7), is shaping up into the biggest and best yet with more on the menu including local theatre groups, musicians and dancers also staging street performances.
Festival chairman Deborah Robb said: “People often remark on the festival promoting a ‘feel good factor’ so we this year we have decided to focus more on that and create a real party atmosphere.”
This year the lay-out includes a new giant food hall on Love Lane carpark in the centre of town.
The Bowling Green carpark will offer an alfresco food court and vast marquee housing delicacies from around the world.
Returning to the town square will be a food theatre with demonstrations by top chefs from Cheshire pubs and restaurants as well as celebrity Brian Mellor.
Businesses across town will throw open their doors to stage activities including whisky tasting sessions, sausage-making workshops, cup cake decorating classes, Aga food demonstrations.
Residence Bar and Restaurant on Mill Street will be a children’s activity centre, Firenze on Welsh Row is staging pizza-making workshops and Chatwins will offer an insight into making pork pies.
Customers have also been voting for their favourite food outlets as part of the “Foodies” Nantwich Food Awards.
People can vote in the Hotel Restaurant, Restaurant or Bistro, Pub with Food, Café or Coffee Bar, Food & Drink Retailer Nantwich Town Centre Food, and Drink Retailer in Nantwich Area.
Mrs Robb, from Hatherton, added: “Food is the focus but so is family fun and giving everyone a weekend to remember.
“With support from Delmar, we have printed 30,000 flyers to spread the word far and wide. Already our website is receiving thousands of hits and we expect the town to be thronged once again.”
Families can expect gourmet foods galore with more than 2,000 products to sample including specialities like ostrich, buffalo meat and haggis.
The festival will be open from midday to 8pm today, from 9am to 6pm tomorrow (September 6) and from 10am to 5pm on Sunday (September 7).
For all the details of what’s on, where and when, visit the festival website at www.nantwichfoodfestival.co.uk
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