Cakes, cockles and Caribbean cookery: Christchurch Food Festival to tickle your taste buds

The major event, which attracts thousands of people to the town, will hold its popular festival market on Saturday and Sunday.

And organisers have made improvements to this year's event, in a bid to showcase a wide variety of local, regional and international food and drink.

This year, stalls will be in the High Street lay-bys and Alley Market opposite Marks and Spencer, with the Piazza Italian Market returning to the cobbled area of Church Street.

Many of last year's traders will be back, along with new ones, selling a wide selection of mouth-watering hot food and drinks.

This will include cakes, sushi, cheese, bratwurst, breads, cider, cockles, fishcakes, coffee, strawberries, sweets, crepes, wine, marshmallows, seeds, olives, ice creams, toffee vodka and much more.

And in a change for 2015, the festival village will be located on the Quomps at Christchurch Quay.

This is where the festival cookery theatre will also be sited, with demonstrations by Levi Roots, Dean Edwards and festival patron Lesley Waters.

Christchurch chefs will also be demonstrating with a range of trade stands, food goodies and refreshments to enjoy.

And on Saturday morning, the founders of Jimmy's Iced Coffee will be giving a talk on how the Christchurch-based business evolved into a national brand.

Levi Roots will be showing off his taste of the Caribbean with jerk chicken wings and hot and fruity Caribbean coleslaw from 11.30am-12.15on Saturday, with another demo from 4.30pm until 5.15pm.

On Sunday, The King's hotel will be holding a market and family fun day on the bowling green, with stalls, drink and crafts as well as activities for children.

Throughout the weekend, events for children will take place at the Kids Kitchen, held at the Priory School in Wick Lane.

These include pizza making, stir fry and in honour of Levi Roots, Caribbean cookery.

For more information on all the food festival fun, go to christchurchfoodfest.co.uk.