A FOOD festival stuffed with flavour will return to Hexham this weekend to showcase the finest food, drink and music the district has to offer.

The second annual Taste Tynedale event is being held on Friday, July 28 and Saturday, July 29, with an array of gourmet treats, craft beers and drinks and activities for all the family.

The festival will feature a packed traders’ market with over 50 stalls, featuring the best food and drink local producers have to offer.

With goodies to try at a hot food and drink court as well as a beer tent with local ales, the event, which will take place in the Abbey Grounds and make use of the Bandstand, promises to have something for everyone.

Taste will feature cask ales, ciders and lagers handpicked by the experts at the town’s Heart of Northumberland pub, with plenty of alternatives for non-beer drinkers.

There’ll be a demonstration stage too, with local chefs keen to inspire visitors to try their dishes at home.

Alistair Walker from Angel Street Food in Corbridge and the Heart’s Jack Henriksen will be among those on hand to wow the crowds.

Families will have plenty to do too, with children’s activities and a live music stage.

Event manager, Anna Lyttle, explained where the team plan to build on last year’s festival.

“We’re running the event on Friday and Saturday this year, and on the Friday it’s on until 9pm,” she said.

“That’s because we noticed last year people didn’t want to leave at 5pm and the atmosphere was just getting going.

“Also, running it on Saturday and Sunday when a lot of the businesses in Hexham are closed on a Sunday, wasn’t as beneficial for retailers in the town.

“We want the whole town to benefit from this.”

The event is sponsored by Hexham Town Council and organised by CN Events, which also stage the Taste Cumbria festivals which have attracted more than 200,000 visitors since they were established in 2009.

Taste Tynedale will run from 10am until 9pm on Friday, July 28 and 10am until 5pm on Saturday, July 29.