A MASSIVE food festival is set to take over Wellington this weekend as the annual event returns. 

Eat:Wellington will see hundreds of producers line the streets for the food-tastic event.

The producers will be trading from the top of South Street, down and around nto the High Street as far as Red Lion Court.

Alongside all the great producers there will be live cookery demonstrations and be lots of free entertainment.

Bev Milner Simonds, co-organiser of the eat:Festivals, said: "We are really pleased with the line-up traders and the great range of festival activities planned for our 3rd festival in Wellington.

"The positivity from visitors and local businesses about this festival has spurred us on to get more creative and include more and more free elements. This wouldn't be possible without the support of our sponsors and partners, and of course our volunteer stewards.

"I'm looking forward to welcoming the primary producers who help us tell the story of the connection between the countryside that surrounds us, food production and the amazing range of produce on sale at the festival."

Sarah Milner Simonds, co-organiser, said: "There will be free entertainment including a circus skills. balloon modeller, Punch & Judy show, plus teh Porter Dodson music stage in the heart of the festival will be providing a laid back soundtrack to the day.

We welcome feedback so if readers have questions or queries please do get in touch via our Facebook page or email to hello@eatfestivals.org"

Traders: 

The team has assembled some outstanding food and drink producers and over 80 will be celebrating the best of the region on the day. Expect farmers' markets favourites like high quality beef & lamb, beers and cheeses alongside speciality teas, gourmet marshmallows, chilli oils and Somerset ice cream. There will be an impressive range of street food available, with global flavours made from local ingredients. 

Meet the bursary, sponsored by Thatchers Cider, Millies Handmade Bakes and pick up a free local food directory.

Family Entertainment:

There will be strolling entertainment, music and Punch & Judy shows 

Retreat Demo Stage

The Retreat Demo Stage is in the Quaker Meeting House and will have chefs and cooks on stage from 11am. Aimed at families the chefs on stage will be cooking dishes that you can recreate at home. The building is fully accessible and there will be large screens to help you see what is going on. 

11am: Transition Team Wellington. This local community group are the team behind the new foraging map. They will be using some in season produce to demonstrate how to preserve and serve the free local food.

1pm: Steve Fowell, School Chef of the Year SW regional winner 2017, will be sharing his ability to create inspiring food for just over £1 a portion. Steve wants to reignite a passion for cooking with the family. In his fast-paced, high energy demo Steve will create an awesome Somerset pork medallions with a broad bean and mushroom fricasse and crushed new potatoes - from his new cookbook. 

1.30pm: Shake up your festival experience with a free bhangra dance class at 1.30pm with Avtar Indian Dance South West.

2pm: Bini Ludlow, the creative genius behind multi-awarding Bini Fine Foods. Bini cooks authentic Indian food, made in Somerset but inspired by India. 

The demo stage is sponsored by The Retreat Caravan Park. 

Hawksmoor Cookery School

Outside the Conservative Club, The Hawksmoor Cookery School, will be set up. Hosted by Delicious in Taunton's Chrissie Godfrey. She will be leading a hands-on workshop for you to make your own sushi. 

"You will be using nori sheets, cooked and prepared sushi rice, and a choice of vegetables. making your own maki roll with a soy and ginger dipping sauce - all lovely and sticky and fun," she said.

Then you will be making gram flour pancakes: preparing your choice of finely diced vegetables, frying a chick pea batter pancake with the veg mixed in, whilst making a tomato, coriander and lime salsa"

All the recipes are available for you to take home with you afterwards.The classes are suitable for adults and families with children aged 8+, they are vegan and you can drop in between 10.30-12.30, and 1.30 -3.30 to have a go

Sustainability

The organisers are reminding visitors to make some preparations ahead of the festival.

Bev said: "We know that the festival is a popular event in the local calendar and that the area around the festival can get very congested with traffic.

"We are working with Travelwest and Buses of Somerset to promotewalking, cycling or taking the bus into the festival.

"We hope that the good weather will hold and many people will choose to walk or cycle into the festival."

Online the organisers are laying down a challenge to try and beat organiser Bev's step count for the day, which is usually more than 23,000 - check out their Facebook page for more details.

The team has a high sustainability criteria for their production and the producers at their festivals. In 2018 there have made many improvements including that the festivals will be single-use plastic free with all serve ware being compostable. 

Sarah added: "eat:Festivals have an environmental impact; requiring transport, energy, water, materials, and producing waste and generating emissions.

"They have a lasting social impact on the local communities. We have an opportunity, through our festivals, to inspire visitors through a raised awareness of environmental and sustainability matters; sharing our management decisions on reducing our environmental impact in partnership with our crew, our sponsors, local authorities, suppliers and traders is one way. 

"We have worked hard with our producers and waste partners to come up with a solution for waste management that allows our producers and visitors to minimise their impact on the environment.

"Alongside our other twenty four sustainability goals we hope make a positive difference through our festivals.

"We are encouraging visitors to make a greener travel choice and to remember to bring their own shopping bags, or panniers if they are cycling in."

The festival starts at 10am and is trading until 4pm - entry is free.

Find out more at www.eatfestivals.org