MALTON will host its 11th annual food lovers festival this weekend.

The two-day event on Saturday and Sunday will include almost 150 stalls across the two days, along with chef demonstrations, interviews, live music, cooking classes and children’s activities.

Saturday’s highlights include a chat and kitchen demonstration on the Visit Malton main stage with Michelin-starred chef James Mackenzie and the Malton Cookery School’s young chef competition, culminating with an evening of live music from Simon Snaize, Nick Rooke and Beth McCarthy.

Continuing the festival fun on Sunday will be Yorkshire’s own Michelin-starred Tommy Banks giving a demonstration and signing copies of his latest book Roots.

Many other well-acclaimed names in the industry will be at the free festival, including Paul Leonard, from The Burlington at The Devonshire Arms, Stephen Smith, from Michelin-starred The Star Inn at Harome, and nutritionist and blogger Eva Humphries.

Other well established names taking centre stage on Sunday include food author Sabrina Ghayour, Tom Heywood, from The Rattle Owl in York, and Shaun Rankin, from the Granary Hotel and Spa.

There is a whole host of activities to keep children entertained, including a birds of prey display, free Mary Poppins-themed children’s shows in the Milton Rooms and a colourful vintage funfair.

The festival will also be providing a cluster of pop-up bars dotted around the town, including McMillans Gin, Horsetown Beers at the Talbot Yard, Brass Castle, Sloemotion and Orchard’s of Husthwaite.

Tom Naylor-Leyland, festival director, said: “The Malton Food Lovers Festival is back with a bang to showcase the talented food producers that our glorious county has to offer.

“From 35 stalls in its first year, to almost 150 now in its 11th year, we look forward to welcoming back the thousands of loyal food lovers from across the country.

“This year we will be welcoming back some incredible talent in the line-up, along with some new faces too.

“It continues to be a wonderful way for visitors to get to know the famous foodie town of Malton and it’s talented artisan producers who are there all year round.”

For more information, go to visitmalton.com