With just days to go till the big event, the countdown is on among the county’s foodies as they prepare to sink their teeth into the all new Love Northampton Food and Drink Festival!

The free festival, being funded by the Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) and supported by Northampton Borough Council, is taking place on Friday and Saturday at the Guildhall and is set to attract hundreds of visitors to the town

Among the highlights will be the chance for festival-goers not only to sample the newly unveiled finalists in the five product and drink categories of this year’s Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards and vote for their favourites, but also to pick up a brochure packed with some amazing vouchers and discounts being provided by many of the nearby restaurants, cafés, and pubs.

Meanwhile some of the members of ‘Made In Northamptonshire’ – the networking group set up to support and promote the county’s food and drink producers – will be sampling and selling their delicious wares ranging from beers to ciders, chocolates to chutneys, while would be-chefs can be inspired by a series of cookery demonstrations including how to create sizzling summer salads, south-American salsas and saucy sorbets made from Northamptonshire gin!

With visitors also able to take advantage of two hours’ free parking on Friday and free parking all day on Saturday, the town centre is set to be buzzing.

After months of planning, BID Director Richard Clinton is one of those who can’t wait for the event to finally arrive: “For Northampton Town Centre to be partnering with the food and drink awards by hosting the Love Northampton Food & Drink Festival is a really positive sign and indicates just how vibrant the town is becoming.

“The Festival will not only be bringing foodies into the heart of Northampton, it will also be supporting our fabulous restaurants, pubs and food retailers who already attract so many to the town” he added.

For more details of the Love Northampton Food and Drink Festival, please visit www.lovenorthampton.co.uk/blog/food-and-drink-festival