This gastronomic, free to attend festival, taking place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 May, celebrates the very best food, drink and culinary expertise that Dorset and nearby New Forest have to offer, in a quayside setting. Launched in 2000, the festival has continued to grow and attract the finest produce and award-winning chefs in the region, making it one of Dorset’s most popular foodie events.

With the festival’s own charity, the Education Trust, focused on promoting healthy eating and cooking skills, the main highlight of the festival takes place in the Demonstration Theatre. This is where TV chefs, award-winning local chefs and some of Dorset’s best-loved brands get hands-on with locally sourced ingredients for all to watch and learn. And for the little ones, the popular Kids’ Kitchen teaches children to cook with fresh and nutritional ingredients in a fun, proactive environment.

Over 200 stalls will offer local delicacies along the high street before spilling onto the riverside setting of Christchurch Quay, where the experience continues in a hubbub of activity. Live entertainment will bring the Victorian bandstand to life, whilst visitors try, and buy, a plethora of local food and drink.

This year, the festival welcomes back celebrity TV chefs and Christchurch Food Festival ambassadors, Lesley Waters; and MasterChef finalist and entertaining resident chef on ITV’s Lorraine, Dean Edwards. Guests also include winner of The Apprentice 2016 and founder of Ridiculously Rich, Alana Spencer; and the vegan cupcake extraordinaire and blogger, Ms Cupcake.

Furthermore, Dorset Food & Drink will have a dedicated area within the festival to champion their members and support start-up businesses, showing just how passionate this coastal county is about their produce.