Celebrity chefs, tasty treats and a war re-enactment were just some of the exciting attractions at this year’s revamped Accrington Food and Drink Festival.
Around 10,000 visitors flocked to the town centre for the festival with more than 50 food stalls to tempt visitors with a huge selection of favourite dishes.
An award-winning continental market was also held on Broadway over two days featuring a mix of authentic global treats.
Organisers Scott Dawson Advertising promised this year’s festival would be the ‘biggest the town has ever seen’ and it lived up to expectations as the sun shone with a record-breaking crowd enjoying lots of activities.
Ian Hill, a director at continental market organisers Market Place Europe, said: “It is the first time we have been to Accrington and it went very well.
"Saturday was very busy and started a lot earlier than we expected. The traders were very happy.
"If we were invited back next year I’m sure we would.”
Councillor Clare Cleary, portfolio holder for the town centre, said it was a ‘fantastic day’.
She said: “We are really pleased with it and there was a brilliant turnout.
“I think everybody liked it being outside as well as in previous years we have just had it in the Town Hall which limits the numbers you can have.
“The cooking demonstrations with the celebrity chefs were very popular and it was really great to see so many people in Accrington.
“A lot of the shops and the market traders really benefited from it as well.”
Food demonstrations were held throughout the day by celebrity chef Richard Fox who cooked a speciality pizza using local ingredients including Accrington Pals Beer – specially brewed in commemoration of the heroic First World War regiment - and Lancashire cheese from the food market.
The sounds of gunfire also ricocheted around the town as a war re-enactment between 15 Germans and 25 American GIs was held in the grounds of St James Church to commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day.
It was one of a number of war-themed events on the day including a Abbott Self-Propelled Gun tank on show outside the Town Hall and Pegasus Bridge Airborne Replica Jeep on display inside the Arndale Centre.
A children’s cake decorating competition was held in the Market Hall and youngsters also got the chance to ‘take a selfie’ with Storage Hunters television show star Jesse McClure.
They also got the chance to get their hands dirty by doing raised bed planting at the ‘Dig for Victory’ attraction run by Incredible Edibles Accrington and the Sandy Lane Gardening Group.
