MALTON Food Lovers Festival is to be extended to twice a year following the success of the weekend’s event.

Plans are underway for a Malton Game and Seafood Fest in September.

Record numbers of visitors flocked to Malton over the weekend from across the UK as well as overseas, including Holland and the US.

Sarah Clark, owner of Interiors at Nine to Eleven in Malton Market Place, said it had been fantastic to see so many people in Malton. She said: “We have been really busy. So many people have passed comment about what a great town it is and want to come back now they have seen what is on offer here.”

Sarah said it was a fabulous weekend for Malton. “I would certainly welcome a second festival, it would be a great opportunity to showcase Malton,” she said. “It is wonderful to see Malton so busy and I definitely feel the live music has given it an different dynamic.”

Denys Townsend, chairman of Malton and Norton Chamber of Trade, said: “The food festival is great for the town. It brings so many people to the area from all over the country. Even Sunday felt like a Saturday as it was so busy, it would be brilliant to have a second festival during the year to run alongside the other events and activities we have.”

Rebecca Benn, owner of The Really Nice Food Company, who was exhibiting for the first time this year, said: “Having been to the festival as a visitor I knew that this would be the ideal place to launch my new branding and summer products.

“As my business is relatively new to gain this amount of exposure with Malton’s food loving visitors and fellow traders was amazing. I even got a chance to see some of my food heroes at the events over the weekend and pick up some treats for the rest of the bank holiday. Malton once again lives up to its claim as being Yorkshire’s food capital.”

Celebrity chefs taking part in the festival included Levi Roots, who also headlined the inaugural party on Saturday night. He said: “I love being back in Yorkshire celebrating food and music. I was here in the early stages of Reggae Reggae Sauce and I’m honoured to return as part of a line-up of some of our best food talent in the UK. The vibe in Malton is electric and among market stalls and music, it’s full of smiling faces.

Prue Leith, who led culinary masterclasses as well as introducing a panel of food experts including Valentine Warner, Stephanie Moon and Levi Roots at the festival’s first NFU Kitchen Question Time, said people had been so nice and welcoming.

“What is happening in Malton should be a model for every small market town in England,” she added.

“The Malton Food Lovers Festival is a focus for all the north’s artisans and a great celebration of a reviving market town.”

Telegraph food writer Diana Henry also led a successful tasting of a number of her favourite dishes for a select audience and local chefs including Michelin starred chefs Andrew Pern and James Mackenzie, Tim Bilton (Spiced Pear) and experts Jonathan Batchelor (Ramus Seaford) and David Lishman (Lishman’s Butchers) shared their top tips and foodie knowledge.

Tom Naylor Leyland from the Fitzwilliam Estate said they were already preparing for the first ‘Malton Game and Seafood Fest’ set to rival May Food Festival.

“Malton is an amazing town, and the region is packed full of talented food producers and creative individuals who work hard to make Malton the food capital of Yorkshire,” he added.

“This year’s festival was the biggest and the best yet, with new formats for the chefs and a festival party on the Saturday, the two days of food lovers’ paradise really gave us something to celebrate and enjoy. I believe we have the best food festival of the North.”