Video and pictures: £1m boost as 25,000 enjoy Shrewsbury Food Festival

Organisers today sent a huge thank you message to people from across the county for making their event the most successful yet.

Between 20,000 and 25,000 people were in the Quarry park over the two days – and organisers said things could not have gone better.

Event chairman Andy Richardson said: "We're really proud of what we achieved. Our calculations suggest we've generated in the region of £1 million for the local economy, which is extraordinary.

"The festival is established as a seriously big and seriously important event in Shropshire's calendar.

"Our attendance was significantly higher than last year. It will be a couple of days before we can be really accurate, but we think it was around 23,000 across both days.

"We just want to thank everyone who played a part in making our festival the biggest and best yet. We're particularly grateful to our volunteers."

Chief executive Beth Heath said: "We're thrilled that we had such a good weekend.

"The exhibitors, the bands and the chefs were wicked. We're working hard at the Quarry today to take everything down and make sure it's open, accessible and tidy as quickly as possible."

The festival featured local chefs on the Wenlock Spring Demonstration Stage and cook Chris Burt, from Momo No Ki, said the event was now the biggest of its kind in the West Midlands.

He said: "In the space of three years it's shot past everything else around. It's already become the number one food festival for our region. The thing that makes it so special is the people – everybody just comes to have a good time and the vibe is so happy and relaxed. It's a real phenomenon."

The festival has donated £1,500 to local schools towards the cost of building vegetable gardens and has also helped other charities to generate thousands more.

Organisers have already started planning next year's event and will return on the last weekend of June for their fourth food festival.

Today the banners were being taken down, the stage being packed away and the litter being picked from the ground as organisers were restoring the town's Quarry Park to its full glory as they moved off the site for another 12 months.

But visitors to the weekend show were still savouring the delicious memories of a successful weekend.

Visitors from all parts of the world were impressed with the offering. The festival welcomed fun-seekers from the USA and Europe as well as all parts of the British Isles.

Many traders managed to sell all of their goods on Saturday – and then stayed up all night to replenish their stock.

Brian Turner, from Eat Up in Shrewsbury, said: "We've been exhibitors at the food festival since the first year. Every year, we think it can't get any better or any busier – but every year it does. We had a great time and people went home happy. It's been really good fun."

Visitors enjoyed a range of attractions and activities, with celebrity book signings, free events for children and much more.

Actor John Challis, better known as Boycie, from Only Fools And Horses, was among those on site. He met thousands of people, signing autographs, selling copies of his autobiography and posing for selfies.

Mr Challis said: "I can't believe how much the festival has grown in just three years. I opened it on the first year and suddenly it seems to have doubled in size. It's incredible. I visit other shows and events up and down the country but this one really stands out.

"I think I've featured in more selfies this weekend than at any other time in my life. But it's been great fun. I only wish I'd brought Marlene along, too."

The festival shone the spotlight on local charities, including Self Help Africa, which is based in Shrewsbury. The charity generates thousands of pounds by working with Shrewsbury Food Festival on a Secret Supper event. Joanne Darlington, from Self Help Africa, said: "We created a garden on site to show visitors how we're trying to help people to lead better lives."

Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawcyznski was among visitors to the event. He said: "Shrewsbury Food Festival is fast becoming one of the best in the country.

"A tremendous amount of work goes into organising the event and I'd like to congratulate the organisers and all of the volunteers who make it such a success."

The trouble-free incident was praised by local police officers who dropped in during the course of the weekend. Constables made regular patrols and rubbed shoulders with people on site.

A spokeswoman for West Mercia Police said: "There were very few incidents and it was a peaceful and trouble-free weekend in the Quarry."

Local chefs were able to show off their skills on the Wenlock Spring Chef Demonstration stage. Baker Robert Swift, from Swift's at Ludlow, said: "The demonstration stage was absolutely packed. Hundreds of people were watching us take to the stage and do our thing.

"A lot of chefs and bakers spend most of their lives hidden from view of the public in their kitchens. So it's a real treat to be able to step out and entertain the crowds."

The festival brought bumper crowds into Shrewsbury itself with people visiting fringe events at Shrewsbury Market, the town's churches and other locations in town.

Judy Bourne, from Monks, said restaurants were exceptionally busy. She said: "We work with the food festival each year to organise a restaurant safari. People can visit 18 of the town's restaurants to enjoy a £3-£5-£3 menu.

"The idea is they get to try a little taste of what's on offer and if they like what they eat they can go back and eat from the main menu."

Local bands were given the chance to play music on The Buttermarket Stage, with bumper crowds enjoying the best of #ShropshireUnsigned.

Curator Callum Jones, from Pro Audio Services, said: "The #ShropshireUnsigned stage is a really important part of the event. People love just hanging out in the park with something nice to eat and drink – and the bands love playing to an appreciative crowd. We had some great local acts on over the weekend and helped to uncover some new talent."

Singer Libby Gliksman, from Shrewsbury, was among the performers. She said: "I'm still buzzing. The atmosphere was amazing. After my gig, I sold a load of CDs and took new bookings. It's really exciting to play to such a big crowd on a beautiful stage."

Other performers who lined up included Will Mead, Chris Del Manso, Two Blank Pages, Severn Ukes, Fight The Dice, Dan Page, Gregory S Davies, Paul Henshaw, Flatlands and Garage Flowers, Goodbye Ohio, Almost Bluegrass and The Rooz.

Louis Coupe, from The Rooz, who are based in Telford, said: "We supported Boyzone on Saturday and then hit the festival on Sunday. It's been an amazing weekend."

Families were at the heart of the event and children were entertained in a large marquee. There were numerous free events and organiser Clare Lamprell said: "We've entertained thousands and thousands of kids with a variety of activities. We had a Dr Seuss theme for some of the events, which went down really well.

"The festival is all about giving families a fun-filled, low-cost day in the park."

Visitors to the park also got to try out high-powered sports cars, which were loaned by Mercedes Benz. Shrewsbury Mercedes Benz manager Mark Winstanely said: "We had a range of vehicles on site, including a few high-powered models. The food festival has got such a high profile and is so popular that it's great to be involved."

The festival provided local businesses with one of their busiest days of the year. Kirstie Lewis, from The Peach Tree, said: "At times, we were rushed off our feet. The queues snaked half the way around the site.

"Shrewsbury has now become synonymous with great food. The organisers of the festival took a risk when they started the event, but it's gone from strength to strength and will keep going for many years."

Local residents enjoyed buying gourmet foods and learning about how they had been made. Jennifer Meierhans, from Shrewsbury, said she'd had a great day out at the event. She said: "The atmosphere was great, the food was brilliant, the music was great quality – and the cars were fabulous too."

Festival-goer Sam Bagnall, from Telford, added: "We enjoyed watching the chef demonstrations. There were some brilliant cooks on the bill ."

Trader Rachel Howarth, from Hey Everyone Books, said the festival had been an unprecedented success. She said: "We couldn't believe how great the atmosphere was. It's been such a gorgeous weekend."

Volunteers had a great time, after giving their time to make the event a success. Jane Shaw, from Crew Green, said: "

It's a real community event and it's been built to last. I can see the festival going for 20 years or more."

Back at the Quarry, volunteers were helping out this afternoon by making the site look immaculate. Event chairman Andy Richardson said: "We've had a brilliant weekend on site and we're grateful to everyone who's helped out. We'd like to say a big thank you. We'll all be back again next year and we'll try to raise the bar again – the work starts today."