The Press offers its support to annual food and drink festival (From York Press)

The Press offers its support to annual York Festival Of Food & Drink

7:39am Tuesday 11th September 2012 in News By Dan Bean, dan.bean@thepress.co.uk

THE 16th York Festival Of Food & Drink will showcase all North Yorkshire has to offer in good eating and drinking, with a special local connection.

Celebrities and Michelin star-winning chefs will cook with local produce at the event, which takes place at venues all around the city from September 21 to 30.

The evening programme, with live music in the Fountain Marquee, will be sponsored by The Press.

Festival organiser Michael Hjort said: “We’re delighted to be working very closely with The Press, and particularly excited about the programme within the Fountain Marquee.

“We’re very excited about this year’s programme. We’ve got a great mix of Yorkshire’s finest chefs and some top drawer guests. The market offers great opportunities to meet a range of micro-producers, from honey to sloe gin and rare-breed meat to Yorkshire-grown chillies.”

Activities in the Fountain Marquee, in Parliament Street, will include a host of live music acts, including the annual Y-Factor talent competition, performances from Eclectic Sparks, covers band Undercovered, and a series of charity performances under the Oxjam event.

Steve Hughes, managing editor of The Press, said: “The festival just seems to get bigger and better every year so we are delighted to be sponsoring this year’s evening programme.

“We hope the combination of wonderful food and drink and live music will bring in the crowds to soak up the evening atmosphere”

Elsewhere at the festival, this year’s line up includes a demonstration kitchen in St Sampson’s Square, Michelin-starred chef Bruno Loubet cooking his take on classic French cuisine, with an appearance from Yorkshire’s own Michelin star chef, James MacKenzie, from the Pipe & Glass, will also appear.

Yorkshire entrants from BBC’s Great British Menu will also be present, and a new addition to the festival is Eat Through The Ages, with Dr Andrew Jones, from the York Archaeological Trust, who will demonstrate food and drink from Roman, Viking, medieval and Victorian times.

Tickets and full details about the festival are available at yorkfoodfestival.com or by phoning 01904 466687, or to apply to take part in Y Factor, email admin@yorkfoodfestival.com