Dumplings and beer at The White Bear Tea inside Old John Food festival in Melton Belgrave Hall food event

Melton Mowbray food fair A record number of food and drink producers are expected to line up at one of the UK’s largest regional food events, the Melton Mowbray Food Festival.

More than 160 food and drink producers from across the East Midlands, the UK and Ireland are expected to exhibit at this year’s event on October 1 and 2.

Now in its 13th year, this will be a record number of exhibitors at the festival that is now the largest in the Midlands and one of the largest in the UK.

There will be an international street food area with delicacies including traditional English, vegetarian, vegan and gluten free, Sri Lankan, South African, Mediterranean and Asian.

There will also be a professional food theatre where visitors can enjoy a full programme of talks and demonstrations. Children have their own dedicated Family Fun Area where they can learn about food with practical hands-on experiences. Entertainment will be provided by the New St George Morris dancers and the Melstrum Ukulele Band.

Matthew O’Callaghan from the Melton Mowbray Food Partnership said: “The Melton Mowbray Food Festival is a staple entry in the UK’s food calendar and we’re confident that this year’s event will be the biggest and best yet!

“As well as the old favourites including the world-famous Melton Mowbray Pork Pies and Stilton Cheese, all produced locally, there will be many new stands with delicious food and drink for people to see, taste and buy.”

Tickets are priced at £6 (£5 in advance). Children under 16 enter free. For more details on the Festival, visit www.meltonmowbrayfoodfestival.co.uk

Chocolate festival Melton Mowbray will also host another major food festival when the first-ever ChocFest takes place in the town.

The event takes place on November 19 and 20 at the Cattle Market. ChocFest is a festival of all things chocolate with tastings, demonstrations, talks, workshops and plenty of chocolate and associated food and drink to buy from some of the UK’s best local producers. For more information, visit www. ukchocfest.co.uk

German market This year’s Birmingham German Christmas Market will take place from Thursday November 17 to Tuesday December 29.

The German market is being extended over Christmas this year to mark the 50th anniversary of the partnership between Birmingham and Frankfurt.

The German Market is centred on Victoria Square in front of the Council House and extends down New Street.

The seasonal event - known by Birmingham City Council as Frankfurt Christmas Market - is open from 10am to 9pm each day.

With more than 180 stalls, Birmingham’s German Market is the largest Christmas market in the UK, and the biggest outside Germany and Austria.