THERE’S a certain reassuring familiarity about Bolton Food and Drink Festival as it occupies the August Bank Holiday Weekend (August 23-26). You’ve seen them on telly and probably at previous demos across 13 previous years of the town centre foodie fest – James Martin, The Hairy Bikers and Michael Caines are the headline acts.
The Aldi-sponsored event welcomed 274,000 people last year, so why change a winning formula? Here’s what to expect food and drinkwise – 200 food, drink, arts and crafts stalls with markets open from 10am to 6pm (closes 5pm on Monday), in and around Victoria Square, Oxford Street, Market Street, Deansgate, Newport Street, and Hotel Street.
The Festival Bar on Le Mans Crescent and Acoustic Bar on Victoria Square will open 11am to 11pm. Aldi’s Top Tipples Bar will offer a range of prosecco, wine and cocktails (11am to 9pm) and Deansgate bars open from 10am to 7pm. All bars close 6pm on Monday.
Michelin-starred Michael Caines will launch the festival on Friday to an audience of invited guests. In the Festival Marquee, on Saturday, The Hairy Bikers )above) will host live cookery demos at 10.30am and 3pm, and Ploughman’s Lunch with beer sommelier Annabelle Smith at 12.30pm.
Kick back and relax with an evening (6.30pm start) of food, drink and comedy as Masterchef 2015 winner Simon Wood prepares tasty recipes alongside BAFTA winning comedian John Archer.
Greengrocer Gregg Wallace is making his debut at the festival on Sunday with cooking demonstrations at 11am and 2.30pm, as well as delivering a fine-dining masterclass with Simon Wood at 1pm.
New this year are gin and rum masterclasses, with a menu cooked by Aiden Byrne and Simon Wood, in the main marquee at 4.30pm and 6.30pm.
Festival favourite James Martin will make his 11th appearance on Monday, with three live demonstrations at 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm.
Catch free hourly regional chef demos from 11am to 4pm in Bolton Market on Friday and Saturday and Market Place Shopping Centre from Saturday to Monday.
Full details from the festival website.