Bolton Food and Drink Festival returns next weekend with a culinary celebration set to take over the town centre.
The event, organised by Bolton Council in association with Aldi, is back for its 13th year from August 24 to 27.
With almost 200 stalls to choose from, the town centre will be jam-packed with great food, free fantastic street entertainment and live music on two stages (Festival Stage, Le Mans Crescent and Real Ale Bar, Victoria Square).
From street food to Instagrammable trends, the festival will have it all covered.
Traders will be located in and around Victoria Square, Oxford Street, Market Street, Deansgate, Newport Street, and Hotel Street.
Market highlights
Markets open from 10am to 6pm daily, and some stalls near the Festival stage on Le Mans Crescent, will close later. Seating areas will be spread around the site.
On Victoria Square, visitors will find event favourites, Bowland Pork, Beef and Lamb, and The Garlic Farm, who have been coming year on year. Brownies and cakes from Ridiculously Rich by Alana, 2016 Apprentice winner Alana Spencer, will also feature. Festival sponsors and Westhoughton based pizza company Stateside Foods will showcase the best of their business. Bolton bakery and event partners Greenhalgh’s will also be on hand, and traditional Lancashire hotdogs from Grandad’s Sausages and delicious burgers from What’s Your Beef will be available on Victoria Square south side.
Oxford Street will host festival partners Carrs who will be selling a range of products including their new festival pasty. Quirky Japanese street food at Cottonopolis will also be on offer and those with a sweet tooth can enjoy the latest dessert trend sweeping the globe - ice cream rolls from The Ice Alchemists. Bolton Market traders Shima’s Rice ‘N’ Oodles and Fresh2Go will also be located on Oxford Street.
Wander down to Deansgate and discover a world of oils, cakes, cheeses and artisan butter. Located nearby on Market Street will be a mix of Lahori street food, chargrilled Oriental and Thai food, and popular regular trader Chipstix. Unsworth Deli, from Bolton Market, will also have a stall. Arts and crafts traders and the Arts Circle Marquee will be located on Newport Street. Entrepreneurs from the Teenage Market will also set up shop on Hotel Street.
Bar highlights
After browsing the stalls, visitors can sit back and relax with a drink at one of the five bars located around the site.
Visitors will be able to enjoy drinks from The Festival Bar on Le Mans Crescent and Real Ale Bar on Victoria Square (open 11am to 11pm, close 6pm on Monday) whilst watching the bands play.
Aldi’s Top Tipples Bar on Victoria Square will offer a range of prosecco, wine and cocktails (open 10am to 9pm, closes 6pm on Monday).
Beer, cider, vodka, and cocktails will available at the bar areas on Oxford Street and Corporation Street will be home to a mix of quirky new bars including a fire engine bar and converted horse box bar (open 10am to 7pm and close 5pm on Monday).
Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Linda Thomas, said: “The festival is bigger than ever this year and we are delighted to bring on board new traders and welcome some festival favourites.
“With the huge range of choice, there truly is something for all ages and tastes.”
A full list of traders is available on www.boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com. For more information follow us on Twitter / Instagram @BoltonFoodFest and on Facebook @BoltonFoodAndDrinkFestival.