Thousands due to attend Ellesmere Food and Drink Festival

Preparations are being finalised for Ellesmere Food and Drink Festival which is celebrating its 11th year.

Visitors to the event on June 17 and 18 will be able to choose from a selection of food and drink from around the world.

It will feature fruit, vegetables, cheeses, meat products, ice cream, wines, beers, and homemade cakes and preserves.

The free event will be held in the town hall and market hall from 10am until 4pm on both days.

Organisers say it will coincide with Father’s Day, enabling families to come together and enjoy the food, drink and events in and around the Ellesmere area.

Organiser Lincoln McMullan, who is also a member of Ellesmere Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said he was looking forward to another successful event.

"It will showcase impressive varieties of top quality produce, from fruit, vegetables, cheeses, meat products, ice cream, wines, beers to homemade chocolates and preserves all from local and regional producers, suppliers, restaurants and more," he said.

"We have the old reliables returning but we also have some new ones. We have a gin and cake bar, people selling dry tea, Italian ice creams and Belgian waffles.

"We have the French covered, Spanish covered and Italian covered.

"We have about 45 traders so far ­– some people have booked double spaces, but we still have space for more including bread and maybe one more beer seller."

Mr McMullan added: "We were one of the first market towns around here to have a food and drink festival. There are a lot more now which is great for the producers. But what we are finding is people aren't travelling as much as they used to because they will wait for their local one to be held.

"There are a lot of repeats at festivals but you also get different sellers."

For more details visit www.ellesmerefoodfestival.co.uk