DETAILS of Chipping Sodbury’s summer food festival have been announced.

The day of scrumptious savouries and delicious desserts this year takes place on Saturday, June 30 (9am onwards).

The first treat to tantalise the tastebuds will be an extended farmers’ market (9am-2pm) on the chippings in the High Street. Old Sodbury Lamb will serve up a selection of hot foods and Cotswold Celebration Company will be cooking a hog roast. There will be cooking demonstrations by Chipping Sodbury’s own masterchef Ann Murray, who runs her own cookery school Cooking4.

Then throughout the day, the town’s growing range of eateries, pubs and cafes will hold tasting sessions and delectable demonstrations.

They include deli food tasting of local cheeses, chutneys and jellies at Hamptons (9.30am-12.30pm), homemade food tasting at Bistro 58 (9.30am-12noon), barbecue tasting at the Madd Sandwich Company (10am-1pm) and date slice tasting and free recipes at the Health Shop (10am-3pm). The Squire Inn will run a beer tasting session (12noon-2.30pm) and the Portcullis Hotel will hold cheese and cider tasting and free samples from the menu (12noon-6pm).

The event has been organised by Sodbury Chamber of Commerce, which also run Chipping Sodbury’s farmers’ market.

Vice-chairman David Anthony said the food festival was an ideal opportunity to further promote local food producers and to increase footfall to the town. He added: "The festival is part of our award winning Shop Sodbury, Shop Local campaign and reinforces our message that Chipping Sodbury is a great place to visit and shop."

Sodbury Town Council has recently granted the chamber permission to add an art and craft section to the twice-monthly farmers’ market. Mr Anthony said the move would allow the market to be extended with local producers of high quality art and craft participating on a regular basis.

For further information on the food festival visit www.visitchippingsodbury.com