MALTON’S Harvest Food Festival welcomed thousands of visitors for a feast of this season’s bounty at the weekend.

The free Festival showcased an array of treats across 80 stalls for visitors to indulge in, as well as a packed line-up of demonstrations from the region’s most renowned chefs at Malton Cookery School. New this year was ‘The Veg Out Patch’ specialising in plant-based foods including falafel, Mexican dishes and vegan Bhaji’s.

Visitors were also able to enjoy shopping in Malton’s independent shops and artisan producers.

Visit Malton Director Tom Naylor-Leyland said: “The Harvest Festival is always one of the highlights of Malton’s foodie calendar, and it has a very traditional aspect as it marks the time to start packing the larder for the winter months.

“The seasonal produce showcased over the weekend is a real tribute to the local artisan producers we have here in Malton, who work year on year to provide such an immense selection of harvest. The oysters from the Yorkshire coast are top of their class and the meat from the moors is of the highest quality, and it was great to see such a great turn-out to celebrate this.”

Visit Malton CIC was set up in 2011 to fund and deliver charitable projects for ‘The Community of Malton, Norton and the surrounding area’. The Community Interest Company funds projects such as free parking in the Market Place in Malton, The Malton Food Lovers Festival and Malton Monthly Food Markets.

Malton’s events calendar continues with two Monthly Food Markets on Saturday, October 12 and Saturday, November 9, culminating in a two-day festive weekend when the Christmas Market returns on Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8.

For more information www.visitmalton.com