VISITORS FEAST ON PEAK FAIR AND FOOD FEST WEEK

Around 12,000 people attended the opening weekend of the Great Peak District Fair and Food Fest Week at the Pavilion Gardens on October 27 and 28, and many more attended Food Fest Week events until Sunday November 4.

This years Great Peak District Fair enabled more than 100 exhibitors to sell their quality produce, and a new feature, The Village, on the Promenade, featuring a delicious mix of hot food, general food and art and craft stands, proved a popular attraction.

Packed audiences also appreciated the hands-on skills of top chefs including celebrity cook Rachel Green and Max Fischer of Michelin-starred Fischers Baslow Hall - as they prepared seasonal dishes celebrating the best of local produce in the demonstration kitchen.

During Food Fest Week, scores of themed events appealing to all taste buds and budgets satisfied the appetites of gourmets of all ages at venues throughout the Peak District and Derbyshire, ranging from contemporary restaurants to traditional pubs.

Highlights included week-long seasonal menus at a variety of bistros and restaurants from Buxton and Chesterfield in the north to Derby in the south, evenings of fine food, music and poetry, tempting tastings, guided walks and activities for gourmands of all ages, events with a Halloween theme and meals featuring the pick of organic produce.

Over the past five years, our message has been that shopping locally makes sense environmentally, economically and ethically and it is encouraging that so many people are acknowledging what a wealth of quality and variety they have on their doorstep, said Great Peak District Fair and Food Fest Week patron Sue Prince OBE.

Everyone can play their part whether they buy the finest local food, drink art and crafts at the Great Peak District Fair or attend one of the many Food Fest Week events featuring the very best local produce.

Buxton was packed with people during the opening weekend as the Fair brought in visitors from far and wide, and Im delighted to say many of the Food Fest events were also well supported throughout the following week.

Next years Great Peak District Fair is set to be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19, while the Food Fest Week is scheduled for October 18 to 26. For further information visit www.visitpeakdistrict.com/peakdistrictfair or www.peakdistrictfoods.co.uk.

The Great Peak District Fair is co-ordinated by High Peak Borough Council Economic Development team to support local producers, encourage tourists to visit the area out of season and boost the local and regional economy.

The Food Fest Week is organised by the University of Derby as part of the Food from the Peak District initiative. This consists of Peak District Foods, a group of small producers who work together to get high quality local foods on to local plates, and Peak District Cuisine, tourism-related businesses that offer at least one daily dish featuring a locally-sourced main ingredient.

The Great Peak District Fair and Food Fest Week receives generous support from the Peak District National Park Authority-managed New Environmental Economy Programme (NEE).

For further details, please contact Jane Price (Great Peak District Fair) on 01332 594544, Sheila Russell (Food Fest Week) on 01332 594606 or Janette Sykes, Spa Media on 01298 72256/07879 842296.