Food festival promises a delicious second helping

Aug 25 2007 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

WIRRAL’S Food and Drink Festival returns for seconds this weekend after a stunning debut last year.

Run by volunteers, the festival was set up to showcase the best in local produce and culinary skills from across the North West.

Around 100 producers will be at the festival offering quality produce from around the region for sale including specialist liquors, artisan cheese, bespoke wedding cakes, chillies, fresh fish, pies, watercress and freshly-picked vegetables.

There will also be a specialist beer marquee with around 35 offerings from local breweries, as well as a wine bar.

For younger visitors, there will be a children’s area with fun and educational workshops from 11am as well as the chance to pick up some circus skills, and the children’s hospice Claire House will have their coconut shy to raise funds.

A World Food area will highlight some of the culturally diverse food available in the North West, with chef’s demonstrations from top Wirral and Liverpool restaurants such as Julian’s, Rendezvous, Malmaison and London Carriage Works hosted by Brian Mellor.

Rachel Guratsky, festival organiser, said: “This festival is about fun and it is there for everyone from foodies to those just looking for an enjoyable day out.”

The festival is supported again by ERDF funding from Wirral Council, Cains, The Mersey Partnership, North West Fine Foods, with fundraising by Claire House Hospice and the Lions.

Emma Degg, head of tourism and marketing at Wirral Council, said: “Following a year-long Wirral Visitor Survey conducted by Ipsos MORI, we are now focusing on the elements identified by the research, one of which is quality food.”

The festival will also see the results of the People’s Cheese competition for local producers, and visitors will be able to try out the Cains Festival Cheese developed by Malmaison and Cains brewery.

There will be a stunning mural showing all the fun of the festival, designed by artist Donna Walker, who is also doing face painting to raise money for Claire House Hospice. She has created two canvases, and is hoping that Claire House will be able to use them to help raise funds.

Entry is free to the festival which is at Claremont Farm, Old Clatterbridge Road, Bebington, Wirral, tomorrow from 10am to 5pm and Monday from 10am to 4pm. Car parking £3.

BANK Holiday Monday, from 10am to 6pm, sees the return of the Red Arrows aerial display team among the many events at Hoylake’s Lifeboat Day, where last year more than 30,000 people flocked to the promenade in west Wirral. See Monday’s Daily Post for a preview.

liammurphy