Food festivals kick off in Ludlow

The festival, which is being held at Ludlow Castle and at various locations across the town, will bring together the region’s small breweries, a classic car festival, live music and dozens of food producers.

The weekend starts tonight at 5pm and continues all day tomorrow and Sunday.

Representatives from The Society of Independent Brewers’ (SIBA) Independent Beer Awards for the Wales & West Region will also be sampling numerous beers to judge which is the best and festival goers will be able to be the first to try this year’s newest award winning beers.

Lindsey Rollings, event manager said: “If you are local, it’s definitely worth coming along."

While it’s an integral part of the event, the festival isn’t all about the beer, there is lots to see, sample and take part in across the weekend.

New for this year is the Pie Trail, perfect to accompany a pint. Visitors can spend tomorrow sampling savoury pies as they follow the trail around Ludlow, calling into the eateries who have all done their best to come up with the winning recipe. Who will be crowned the Pie Champion? If you prefer something sweet then there’s a Pudding Trail on Sunday.

Festival goers will also be able to watch the theatre of fire and metal create some amazing chef’s knives. Former chef, turned blacksmith, Joel Black will be at the festival with a small blacksmith’s forge tomorrow and Sunday.

Danielle Hadley trained at Rick Stein’s establishments in Padstow and now runs Danielle’s Coffee near Bridgnorth. She will be running Coffee Masterclasses across the weekend and will be roasting coffee and teaching visitors how to make the perfect cup. Danielle will be hosting just one of masterclasses taking place over the weekend. Each masterclass costs £5 per session.

Raymond Blanc trained Steve Lyons will also be running classes which focus on this year’s food trend including Mexican street food and South African BBQ.

Also new this year will be a pop-up barber’s shop run by Bull and Co based in Bridgnorth. With 80 five-star reviews on facebook, these are the go to guys for a smart new haircut.

The 2017 Ludlow Spring Festival promises to be a runaway success for those who like vintage cars. The Marches Transport Festival is a key part of the event, whether it’s the sleek curves of a classic or the growling engine of a modified racing car, there’s something to suit every taste.

Of course as it’s Ludlow, the festival wouldn’t be complete without food and there is plenty to eat, sample and buy. More than 60 of the region’s very best food producers will be inside and around the castle over the weekend. There will also be a kids zone and live music.

Tickets for the festival can be bought online at https://ludlowspringfestival.digitickets.co.uk/tickets and cost £6 in advance and £7 on the gate.

For more information check the festival’s website www.ludlowspringfestival.co.uk