WELCOME back to the Manchester Food and Drink Festival. This years motto: Eat, Drink, Dance. It could be an exhausting 12 days! Heres a quick round-up, but for a full schedule download the brochure.
The Festival, now in its 17th year, runs from September 18-29, Once again the Big Festival Hub is in Albert Square until Sunday 28, offering a Festival Bar, Street Food Fair, Wine Bar, Live Entertainment, and a Producer Market. Open from noon until late every day and free to enter.
The whole gastr-avaganza culminating in the Gala Dinner at Manchester Town Hall On Monday 29, when the prestigious Food and Drink Awards will be handed out. Until then theres plenty of time to Eat, Drink and Dance.
Street food stalls dot the Festival Hub in two sessions Sept 18-23 and Sept 24-28. Heres the line-up for Session One. http://tasteofmanchester.com/hub-street-food-line-up-to-kickstart-the-festival/
Cheese and Chocolate Festival
September 27 and 28, noon to 6pm
Celebrating two of Britain's most glorious and gluttonous foods, this event on the festival's closing weekend is a dairy-lover's delight.
It's a great chance to meet some of the region's best makers and learn about their craft - and of course enjoy some delicious samples before taking your favourites home with you.
There will also be a cheese challenge competition and an award for the festival's favourite cheese.
Hotel Football live cook-off featuring Gary Neville
September 26, 5.30pm, £7
Heres our special preview.
Thwaites Festival of Beer
September 18 to 21, noon to 11pm
Official btrewery sponsors Thwaites host the Drinking Den marquee, where there will be tutored tasting sessions and food pairing tips.
The Blackburn-based brewery will be showcasing seven of its best cask ales, including a pineapple wheat beer and a chipotle spiced ale, as well as the malty, Soreen-inspired Use Your Loaf brew.
100 Greatest Beers Bar
September 22 to 28, noon to 11pm
Picking up where Thwaites leaves off, the 100 Greatest Beers Bar offers exactly that allowing, festival-goers to drink their way around Greater Manchester's finest breweries and microbreweries under one roof with free entry and live music.
Blue Pig Cocktail Lounge (see main picture)
September 18 to 28, noon to 11pm
Northern Quarter bar the Blue Pig will be serving up its carefully-crafted cocktails inside a specially-built hideaway inside the festival's Drinking Den. The tipples include the specially-created Festival Fizz, with gin, blueberries, mint, lemon and ginger ale.
Magners Cider Bar
September 18 to 28, noon to 11pm
Scrumpy-lovers can try more than 15 different varieties, from American craft ciders to traditional West Country tipples.
Two drinking events outside the Festival Hub are likely to be hugely popular:
New Century Hall, September 26 and 27, times vary, £12
Independent merchants including Reserve Wines, Corks Out, Pacta Connect, Commanderie de Bordeaux and T Wright Wine showcase their wares. Note he new venue, where there are three sessions to choose from: Friday September 26, 6pm to 9pm; and Saturday September 27, 2pm to 5pm or 6pm to 9pm.
Liquor Market
Elixir, Deansgate, September 27, noon to 2.30pm and 3.30pm to 6pm, £10
Returning for its second year, the Liquor Market will feature spirit samples and tastings of everything from the finest single malts to rare rums. Theres an after-party included serving canapes.
The 2014 festival has more music on offer than ever before, with everything from local solo artists, rockin' reggae, community choirs and world famous DJs
Highlights include Hacienda legend Graeme Park .indie pop group Bluebird Kid Clark, psychedelic garage rock from Lucy Hope and the House of Glass and Soul Jam a collective of Manchester soul, blues and jazz artists. Salford singer-songwriter Ren Harvieu will close the festival with a set on Sunday September 28.