THE fifth Melksham Food and Drink Festival has served up a whole host of tasty events this week, with more to come this weekend.
The festival kicked off on Friday 6th of September, with ‘Littlefest’, a day-long event at the Littlebrook centre with biscuit decorating at Candy Jax, a photo competition at Andy York Photography, samples and information about local produce at Waitrose and a Death by Chocolate murder mystery event at CJ’s cafe.
The following evening saw TV Presenter Dick Strawbridge on stage at the Assembly Hall as part of the food and drink celebrations.
The eco-warrior and self confessed ‘telly tart’ had the audience at Melksham Assembly Hall in stitches with stories of his life as an army general, on Scrapheap Challenge, Celebrity Masterchef and his recent programmes It’s Not Easy Being Green and The Hungry Sailors. His warm and honest accounts covered subjects from wind turbines and tickling trout to the cultivation of his impressive moustache and the correct way to ‘dispatch’ a chicken.
After answering questions from the audience, Dick stayed late into the evening entertaining people with more amusing anecdotes, providing photo opportunities, signing books and gratefully receiving one or two kisses!
On Saturday Well House Manor hosted an afternoon of Pimm’s and Croquet with Swindon Croquet Club as part of the festival and on Monday, Sainsbury’s, the headline sponsor of the whole festival, held a wine tasting and food matching evening to raise money for West Wilts Special Needs Activity Group.
There are lots more events coming up this weekend including the grand finale of the festival, the Food Festival Fair, which will take place this Sunday from 11.00am – 4.00pm in the grounds of Melksham House, Melksham Market Place and the Assembly Hall.
Highlights of the fair include; a cooking demonstration from chef Jonathan Furby at 12.00noon and 2.30pm in the Assembly Hall as well as his bread making workshop at 3.30pm, Wessex Contraband, ‘Mild to Wild’ chilli-eating contest, an Edwardian bowls match and the Routemonster bus, a double-decker bus converted into a restaurant, in the Market Place.
There will also be a variety of stalls showcasing local produce in the grounds of Melksham House, including Sainsbury’s, Bath Food Company, Waitrose and Taylor’s bakery.
Charities and organisations from all across Melksham will also be on hand at the Organisations Fair in the Market Place.
You can also head into the ArtHouse Café before the Food Festival Fair begins and treat yourself to a Big Breakfast, which will be served from 9.00am-2.00pm, raising money for local charity Amber.
Other events this weekend include; a cupcake decorating evening at Melksham Town Hall between 7.00pm-9.00pm on Friday 13th September and on the same night a pudding night will be held at The Conigre Rooms and Restaurant at 7.30pm. For a full run down of events, visit www.melkshamfoodfestival.co.uk
Pictured: Lisa Ellis, Pam Wiltshire, Dick Strawbridge, Avril Davies and Lorna Howard
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