Countdown starts to big food and drink festival

TICKETS for Bolton’s hugely popular Food and Drink Festival go on sale today (Saturday).

The festival attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to the town annually when it takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend (this year, August 26 to 29).

It will feature cookery demonstrations by Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain, Aussie chef John Torode and festival favourite James Martin.

The festival is organised by Bolton Council in association with Aldi.

Tickets for the celebrity chef cookery demos are from £8 (adults) and £4 (child).
Entrance to the children’s zone will cost £2.50 and grant a day’s access to a host of fun Mad Science themed activities.
 
Organisers have added new special events this year. Wine experts Oz Clarke and Kate Goodman will be hosting wine tasting sessions at noon and 3pm in the Market Place Vaults on Saturday (August 27). Tickets are £15.

They will join John Torode in the main festival marquee at 6pm for an Australian themed cookery demo and wine sampling. Tickets are £20.

On Sunday, Nadiya will host a family brunch where she will be reading from her new children’s book (released in September) and cooking for young food fans. Entry is £5 (adults), £2 (child) or £10 for a family ticket (two adults, two children). Brunch will be provided.

She will also be the special guest at a Slattery picnic afternoon tea, which includes a demo at 2.30pm. Tickets are £18 (£6 for child).

James Martin will round off the festival on Monday, August 29, with demos at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. A selection of premium seats will be available at each of his demos for £15 – guests will receive a signed apron and recipe card.

The bumper-packed weekend will open on Friday with two Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines, who will perform a free demo in the Vaults.
 
That evening Michael will demonstrate his culinary skills further at a special Gala Dinner in the festival marquee in Victoria Square. Tickets cost £65, with £5 going to Dementia Action Alliance.

Tickets for the celebrity chef demos and special events will be available from Bolton Octagon Theatre, via www.boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com or 01204 520661. The box office is open 9am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday.

Sponsors are Aldi, University of Bolton, Market Place Shopping Centre; Stateside Foods and Willmott Dixon.

Partners include: Arts Council; Bolton College; Bolton Market; KRO; Octagon Theatre; Slattery, and Worsley Park Marriott Hotel and Country Club.

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