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

We have a limited number of discounted places remaining on our Sausage making course taking place on Sunday 22^nd June 2014 commencing at 9.30am– 12.30pm

Learn about the ingredients that go into making a perfect banger. Prepare your own sausage meat, create tasty flavours, season to perfection.

To book your place click here and  when prompted enter code SA06 to receive your £15 discount., bringing the cost of the course down to £50 per person.

Masterchef judge, TV food critic and writer William Sitwell will be setting aside his campaign against square plates to cut the ribbon on the new Love Northampton Food and Drink Festival being staged in the town next month!

The free festival, being funded by the Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) and supported by Northampton Borough Council, is taking place from 11am to 4pm on Friday 4^th July and Saturday 5^th July and will centre on a food fayre in the Guildhall, while nearby restaurants, cafés and pubs will tempt diners and drinkers with month-long festival vouchers and special offers and be promoting the best of Northamptonshire produce on their menus.

William, who lives in the south of the county and who has recently been hitting the culinary headlines for leading the charge on round plates over their square counterparts, is looking forward to the opportunity to sinking his teeth into the array of tasty wares from the local artisan producers who are sampling and selling their mouth-watering range of goodies across the two days – everything from beers to biscuits, chutneys to cheese; “My beloved Northamptonshire represents so much that is great about modern foodie Britain – and it’s getting better!” enthused William.

“So I really hope that this new festival will attract a large number of visitors to Northampton, keen not only to discover the local delicious delights that we have to offer but also to help our county town flourish as a real dining hub” he added.

Rachel Mallows of The Mallows Company, who is organising the festival on behalf of Northampton Town Centre BID, says she is thrilled to have the Masterchef judge’s backing; “We’re absolutely delighted that William is showing his support for this event as it offers a culinary stamp of approval to what we know is going to be a wonderful festival” explained Rachel.

“There’s already a real excitement building up among the town’s eateries and the food businesses involved who are all really looking forward to the two days and so we’d encourage all food lovers to join us and make the most of the fantastic dining discounts and tasty treats that will be on offer!” she added.

For more details of the Love Northampton Food and Drink Festival, please visit

www.love northampton.co.uk/blog/food-and-drink-festival or like us on facebook or follow us on twitter @NorthamptonBID or #LoveNFADF. Alternatively please call 01933 664437.