Foodies from Melksham and surrounding areas flocked to the sixth annual food and drink festival last weekend in what is being described as the best ever.
The town saw over 3,000 people descend on the Melksham Food and Drink Festival weekend with the main event being on Sunday for the food festival fair which had over 60 stalls and many different activities for all the family to enjoy in the grounds of Melksham House.
The Littlefest event took place on Saturday around the Littlebrook Centre, with events and tastings, and organisers were pleased with the support they received.
On Sunday, the Rotary Club of Melksham started the day with a Big Breakfast event in their ArtHouse cafe, raising over £500 for the Bath RUH scanner appeal.
Local food and drink producers then opened their stalls to a busy crowd all day, accompanied by Irish music provided by Wessex Contraband.
The cooking demonstrations were especially popular. Waitrose gave a fish masterclass, Farmers Fayre prepared dinner party ideas, and Maria Zamudio demonstrated Mexican cooking. Love Food Hate Waste cooked recipes such as green leaf pesto and cheesy leftover mashed potato pancakes. There was also a variety of activities for children including facepainting, bouncy castle, spot the oddity and baby animals.
Chair of festival, cllr Pam Wiltshire said, “The feedback we have got confirms it as the best Melksham Food & Drink Festival yet. This is testament to the hard work of the volunteers, organisations and everyone involved. There was lovely weather, a great family atmosphere and many people stayed all day. We’d like to thank the sponsors, stall holders and everyone who came to the event. Without the support of the town council, and the work of Miriam Zaccarelli, deputy town clerk, the committee, and all the helpers the festival wouldn’t happen.”
Miriam Zaccarelli, deputy town clerk added, “It was beautiful to see the amount of volunteers and support we had including the ATC cadets and Melksham Christmas Lights crew. A huge thanks goes to all our sponsors especially our main sponsors Waitrose, and West Country Educational Agency. It was an excellent weekend and we are proud to part of a great line-up of summer events taking place in Melksham.”
The festival committee is welcoming any feedback or suggestions from the community so the festival can continue to improve. Email feedback to food festival@melkshamtown.co.uk.
Other events happening in Melksham this summer include the Party in the Park and Carnival on Saturday 12th July throughout the town and at King George V Playing Field; Melksham Comic Con at the Assembly Hall on 30th – 31st August; and Melksham River Festival at King George V Playing Field on 6th – 7th September. There are also a variety of films and live events at Melksham Assembly Hall.
For a full list of future events visit www.melkshamtown.co.uk
![Melksham Times Past
A column about days gone by in Melksham by local historian Lisa Ellis
The Independent Chapel and Women’s Rights in the 1840s
A document I recently transcribed lists the baptisms performed at the Independent Chapel. This record is especially helpful in that, along with baptisms, a lot of them include birth dates - one of the ways I discover which day someone was born.
The following is taken from a Wiltshire Times article published on 9th November 1878 which reports a speech given during the 100-year services and to celebrate their renovations (what we now know to be the Rachel Fowler Centre).
One speaker, Rev. T. Mann, minister in Trowbridge, talked about the Chapel’s origins when he related how Rev. Honywill came to Melksham and how he’d gone on to remain as the minister for the Independent Chapel for almost 60 years. [Honywill and his family lived on King Street in what we now call “Legion House”.]
Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.](https://scontent-lhr6-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.75761-15/505444438_18038424887647822_3264519508333556874_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=gXZQJoHTNiEQ7kNvwHezuPI&_nc_oc=AdlrJvMDapuork_EjycPOcegNeMnCA37GEIudkxkTeCfTgvB5iijE05ojpwlYCd5gN8&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr6-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=0ZY31jxOGx2M8z1ZqYNvEg&oh=00_AfPY_C0B8EndpVcx78sVp9qVJgtm368WREf36ZX1_jO3mg&oe=6855C74A "Melksham Times Past
A column about days gone by in Melksham by local historian Lisa Ellis
The Independent Chapel and Women’s Rights in the 1840s
A document I recently transcribed lists the baptisms performed at the Independent Chapel. This record is especially helpful in that, along with baptisms, a lot of them include birth dates - one of the ways I discover which day someone was born.
The following is taken from a Wiltshire Times article published on 9th November 1878 which reports a speech given during the 100-year services and to celebrate their renovations (what we now know to be the Rachel Fowler Centre).
One speaker, Rev. T. Mann, minister in Trowbridge, talked about the Chapel’s origins when he related how Rev. Honywill came to Melksham and how he’d gone on to remain as the minister for the Independent Chapel for almost 60 years. [Honywill and his family lived on King Street in what we now call “Legion House”.]
Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.")
