The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
All set for the food festival
THE DUNDEE Flower and Food Festival kicks off today with thousands of cooks and gardeners expected to descend on the city’s Camperdown Park.
The three-day festival offers enthusiasts the chance to get first-hand tips from some of the top chefs and gardeners in the country.
Great British Bake Off ’s Mary Berry and the Fabulous Baker Brothers Tom and Henry Herbert are set to delight amateur chefs, while Alys Fowler of Gardeners’ World fame will tour the floral marquees.
Apprentices from the council’s environment department were busy putting the finishing touches to a garden display in the showground yesterday, ahead of today’s grand opening.
Dundee City Council environment convener Craig Melville visited the site to oversee proceedings.
“This is a great display and I am pleased to see our apprentices making this contribution to the event,” he said.
“There is a varied programme to appeal to a wide range of interests and the whole family,” he added.
“Food and gardening demonstrations are being carried out by household names and there is a sense of excitement about the festival.
“As always, we are hoping it will be an excellent and enjoyable weekend. It’s the biggest of its kind in Scotland.
“It brings a lot of people into Dundee and 60% of visitors come from outwith the city boundary.”
The usual range of exhibitors and sellers will be joined by a new Red Hot Chilli Village this year.
The first of its kind in Scotland, traders will be selling a range of produce including chilli hot chocolate, chilli jewellery, plants and recycled glass products.
Lord Provost Bob Duncan will officially open the festival today. He said: “This year’s Dundee Flower and Food Festival has an exciting programme with a wide appeal.
“We know that the festival attracts people into the city and acts as a boost for the local economy.”
The Red Hot Chilli Pipers will headline the music stage on Sunday, and Dundee University’s Botanic Garden will be among the many local institutions taking part.
Alasdair Hood, curator at the Botanic Garden, will be a judge at the Show Gardens event today, while education officer Neil Paterson will be making a presentation to local school children.
Mr Hood said: “The Dundee Flower and Food Festival is a superb event and we are delighted to be taking part.”
The festival opens at 11am.