YORK’S Food and Drink Festival is underway in the city centre, showcasing some of the best produce from around the region.

The 10 day event, being staged in Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square, aims to promote food producers, independent restaurants and retailers in York while providing educational and fun workshops and cookery shows.

Festival director, Michael Hjort, said: “We are fundamentally celebrating the best that York and the surrounding areas has to offer.

“We are expecting a lot of people to come and enjoy the food, drink and ambience.”

Organisers are looking to showcase the culture of the city by allowing festival visitors to sample local food, drink and produce.

A Taste Trail offers the chance to sample and purchase a range of different products such as fudges, gourmet marshmallows, French cheeses, liquorice, churros, mussels, Asian street food, chilli jam and speciality burgers and sausages.

Throughout the festival there will be demonstrations from chefs including Tommy Banks, of the Michelin-Starred Black Swan at Oldstead and Roots.

Tommy said: “We’re keen to focus on food waste usage at the moment.

“In the demonstration we will be using food which would normally be thrown away to show how this wastage can be reduced.”

Tommy’s successful restaurant businesses are also holding a stall at the festival.

The Food Factory, a hands-on cookery experience in which participants will be able to make their own bread, pasta, chocolate and savoury items, returns this year.

During the evenings, charity York Mind will be hosting MindFest which will include live music.

On Saturday there will be temporary produce markets set up in Fossgate.

Entry to the festival is free.