THERE is change afoot in Malton. Can you hear the stirrings of exciting new things on the horizon? I hope so - it won’t be long before we welcome some thrilling new openings.

The new vegan and veggie deli, The Purple Carrot, will soon be opening in Market Street. You might recognise them as they currently stand at Malton Monthly Food Market and sell out every time.

With award-winning vegan brewery Brass Castle and the national brand Tofoo being based here, Malton is becoming the place for the very best veggie food.

Malton will also be welcoming its third brewery soon. Set up by the brains behind Horse Town Brewery, Malton Brewery in Navigation Wharf will be the smallest commercial microbrewery in the UK. Small but perfectly formed.

There’s a big change coming to the Talbot, too where, we are making sweeping changes to make the place more relaxed, more welcoming and more fun. I’ll report on all these in more detail in the coming weeks.

What I am most excited about to announce is the arrival of a new event called Marathon Du Malton.

Inspired by the Marathon Du Medoc in France’s wine region, there will be food and drink stops around the course, with runners (or walkers) being encouraged to take their time and enjoy the party atmosphere.

Participants, and those cheering them on, are encouraged to wear fancy dress with a food and drink theme.

I’m hoping to see many a pig, beer bottle and banana running, walking or staggering through the streets and off into the countryside.

Delicious treats will be lined along the route with offerings from local award-winning food and drink producers, such as craft beer from Brass Castle Brewery, macarons baked by Malton-based producer Florian Poirot. the UK pastry champion.

The Talbot will also be serving up pan-fried grouse sourced from the local Yorkshire moors and miniature Yorkshire puddings with roast beef.

Our own Yorkshire version of this famous running event is a gourmet food and “wineathlon” starting and finishing in Malton’s pretty Market Place. But worry not folks, the Marathon Du Malton is in fact a much more manageable 10k with a tasty twist.

With Malton now famous for its own award winning producers, it seem just right to combine some of the things that Yorkshire does best - food, fitness and our beautiful countryside. The fact that the 10k course will take in some of the most stunning views of the Howardian Hills should be a big plus.

I hope everyone will enjoy this new event which should be a great family day out; one long drinks party, I suppose.

It runs on Sunday, August 26, the same day as the final summer Street Food Sunday event, so there will be masses of tasty street food for the supporters, families and runners to enjoy.

With only 250 tickets available for runners this year, we hope to grow this into the best event of its kind in the UK and I am pleased to say that tickets are selling like hot cakes.

Dust off your banana suit and get ready for the Marathon Du Malton – Britain’s tastiest 10k – it’s coming soon.

Visit Malton has another fab foodie weekend lined up for you with the Malton Monthly Food Market on Saturday, July 14 and Street Food Sunday the next day, July 15. A wonderful weekend of stalls, demos, live music and street food.

For more information about Visit Malton events, go to visitmalton.com