The Tonbridge Food and Drink Festival returns this week, bringing a range of delicious refreshments to the town for the third year running.
The event will be held over the Bank Holiday weekend, Saturday May 26 and Sunday May 27, in the castle grounds alongside the River Medway.
There will be more than 60 stallholders offering cheeses, breads, cakes and sweets, coffee and specialist teas alongside other food-related items.
The foodie extravaganza is being organised by the team behind Tonbridge Farmers’ Market, who won the Taste of Kent Award for Kent Farmers’ Market of the Year in 2017.
The town is expecting more than 15,000 visitors over the two days, and they will be able to take part in a programme of activities including demonstrations in the Cookery Theatre.
There are also events for children in the ‘Hands-On Tent’, such as decorating gingerbread, creating chocolate pizzas and trying sugar paste crafts.
More than 30 local brews will be available at the Beer and Cider Festival, which runs alongside the main event, some of which are produced in the town.
The hugely popular Great Tonbridge Cake Off is also returning.
Steve Wood, of Tonbridge Farmers’ Market, says: ‘We are looking forward to seeing you for a fun-packed, tasty foodie weekend.
‘You can rest and relax in the popular Street Food Café, and perhaps try a taster menu from one of the many stalls selling delicious home-made hot food, including English, European, Asian and New World specialities made with quality produce.’
He adds: ‘We’ve got lots of fun activities planned to entertain the whole family, including an exciting programme of cooking demonstrations from popular local chefs, food producers and local food writers.
‘And for the youngsters there are some great events based around the Alive with Flavour Hands-on Tent. They can get messy making dishes like a delicious Eton mess.’
For more information and entry details for the Cake Off, visit www.facebook.com/ TonbridgeFoodandDrinkFestival
PICTURE: A LOT ON YOUR PLATE: The town is expecting 15,000 visitors to Castle Lawn over the two days
Cookery Theatre Schedule
Saturday May 26
11am Rosemary Williams, Prep That Fish
12pm Hilary Steel, Comedy Chef
1pm Laura Bounds, MD Kent Crisps
2pm Bruce McMichael, The Lemon Grove
3pm The Big Festival Food Quiz
4pm Jo Banks, Alive with Flavour
5pm Victoria Bryant, Little Brittany
Sunday May 27
11am Rosemary Williams, Prep That Fish
12pm Zehra, Refined Baklava
1pm Will Devlin, Head Chef/owner of The Small Holding Farm & Kitchen
2pm Bruce McMichael, The Lemon Grove
3pm The Big Festival Food Quiz
4pm Jo Banks, Alive with Flavour
5pm Matthew Kearsey-Lawson, Kent Fine Foods
The Great Tonbridge Cake Off
The Great Tonbridge Cake Off will be held at 2.30pm on both days of the festival. All entries must be received by 1pm; only one entry is allowed per family. There are three classes: 5-11 year olds, 11 to 15, and 16 and over. For details of how to enter, go to the festival’s Facebook page
