HELMSLEY is to host its first-ever gin festival.

The Ginilicious Festival, which will take place on August 4 at Helmsley Town Hall, will give festival-goers the chance to sample from a selection of 50 gins, along with meeting specialist craft distillers and enjoying entertainment.

There will be two sessions – one from 12.30pm to 4.30pm and one from 6pm to 10pm. A ticket to either session is £15 per person, and includes a Copa de Balon glass and two tokens, which can be used to purchase two G&Ts on the day, along with a Ginilicious guide to the gins available.

Additional gins will be available to buy using a token system, with one token priced at £4, which includes 25ml of gin, a premium tonic and garnish.

The event is being organised by Helmsley Wines.

Jayne Potter who owns Helmsley Wines with husband Mal, said: “We have been mulling over the idea of a gin festival for quite some time, so we’re delighted that the plan has finally come together.

"We will be announcing more details about the event over the coming weeks, but it should be a fantastic day and evening, with entertainment, the chance to socialise and meet some true gin experts – and of course, being able to sample some of the very best gin available on the market.

"There’s so many wonderful varieties out there, and what better way to have the opportunity to try them out and find your favourites than by having them all under one roof?”

For tickets, go to ginilicious.co.uk