MALTON Food Lovers Festival returns this weekend to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

For the festival’s first year in 2008, there were just 25 stalls and 1,000 visitors. Last year, the event broke all records, drawing a crowd of 30,000.

Tom Naylor-Leyland, festival founder and director, said this year’s festival promised to be the best yet. “The festival is expanding and we will have up to 180 stalls, masses more music and more talks, tastings, demos and cookery lessons,” he said.

“We always had free tastings, but charged for the demos. Now all the demos will be outside in a covered area and be free.

“A garden area ‘the village green’ will be created next to the Milton Rooms, lined with AstroTurf so children can play.”

>> Remember this from last year?

Chefs attending include three of Yorkshire’s Michelin-star winners - Tommy Banks, winner of The Great British Menu 2016 and 2017 and owner of The Black Swan in Oldsted, named as the Best Fine Dining Restaurant in the World 2017 on Trip Advisor, Andrew Pern, of The Star Inn at Harome, and James Mackenzie, of the Pipe & Glass Inn, South Dalton. They will be doing cookery demonstrations and book signings.

The festival, which is free to enter, will also have a pop-up bar, run by local brewery Brass Castle, Orchards of Husthwaite Cider and Yorkshire gin producer, Sloe Motion.

Live music will be provided from Friday evening through to 7.45pm on Sunday when singer and songwriter Beth McCarthy takes to the stage. There will be children’s theatre workshops, a vintage fun fair and children’s zone. Chancery Lane car park will be transformed into a picnic spot for the day.

As well as the stalls, 30 street vendors will be attending offering food from around the world.

For more information, visit visitmalton.com