MELKSHAM Food and River Festival is back and bigger than ever this weekend in the King George V playing field, with activities, stalls and entertainment for people of all ages to enjoy.
For the first time in the festival’s history, over 70 food and drink stalls will be available on both days, Saturday and Sunday. Festival organisers say that visitors can rest assured that they will not leave the festival hungry or thirsty, with stalls offering delicious and irresistible culinary delights, including fresh bread, home-made sweets, cakes and pickles, ice cream, a hog roast, cheeses, craft ales, ciders, spirits and much more.
For those looking for inspiration in the kitchen, the ‘Leekes Country Kitchen marquee’ will host a number of cooking demonstrations on both days of the festival.
On the River Avon, the Wiltshire Youth Canoe Club will entertain the crowds with their canoeing demonstrations and for those feeling adventurous, why not join them in the water to try out the sport for yourself?
For a more relaxing time on the river, boat trips aboard ‘The Mary Archard’ and ‘Damselfly’ will be available, run by the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust – sit back and enjoy the beautiful flora and fauna that lines the river.
For those that prefer to be on dry land, the playing field will be full of fun for all the family with a fairground including children’s rides, an inflatable slide and games. There will also be a 7.3-metre-high climbing wall for children over the age of six and adults to scale.
The ever popular ‘Foxhangers Raft Race’ returns on Saturday, with cash prizes up for grabs for both the winning junior and senior teams, whose homemade raft lasts the distance.
On Sunday, the infamous chilli-eating contest returns – always a favourite with the crowds – join this year’s competitors as they scoff eye-watering hot chillies to win a cash prize. Across the weekend, there will be musical performances; The Military Wives Choir and local band, The Decibelles, will be performing on Saturday, and on Sunday, Wiltshire-band, Burbank, will entertain the crowds.
Chair of the organising committee, Adrienne Westbrook said, “We’re getting more and more excited for the festival as the weekend gets closer. We have 75 stalls booked, with most of them taking part on both of the two days of the festival. The support that we have had from stallholders has been amazing. It’s all coming together!
“I’m looking forward to seeing the Melksham community come together to take boat trips along the river, enjoy the cooking demonstrations, and cheer on the brave competitors in the chilli-eating competition!
“Hopefully the weather holds and people can have a drink and enjoy the food in the sunshine in the beautiful King George V playing field.”
The Melksham Food & River Festival takes place in King George V Playing Field this Saturday, 1st September, and Sunday 2nd September.
For full details please click on the link below to our digital edition:
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