Ginger and spice and all things nice
EVERYTHING from a floating market to a food theatre and fringe events will be hosted by the canalside town of Market Drayton in Shropshire around its Ginger & Spice Festival.
The multi award-winning event takes place during British Food Fortnight, a national celebration of all that is local and seasonal during the traditional harvest time.
Celebrating the culinary heritage and history of Market Drayton – famous for an acclaimed local gingerbread – the sixth annual festival reaches its climax on Saturday, September 24 from 9am-10pm.
Along the towpath of the Shropshire Union Canal will be the floating market with crafts, delicious food and face painting. At the vibrant spicy street market visitors can enjoy everything from hand iced gingerbread, boozy ginger cakes, chai fudge and cinnamon ice cream to ginger ales, aromatic gins and hot spicy street food.
The James Du Pavey Food Theatre will be located under the historic stone portico Buttercross with regional, top and local chefs. Along the Joules Brewery Fodder and Tipple Trail are tasty stop-offs including beer sampling.
The Palethorpes Children’s Cookery Theatre and other activities for children include a heritage town gingerbread trail, gingerbread crafts and decorating and new for 2022 – a gingerbread biscuit eating contest!
In the evening there will be the Dourish and Day Jazz & Blues Concert in the historic St Mary’s Church with Colin Browne Band and friends in aid of Severn Hospice (ticketed).
Most events are free of charge, but some fringe events are ticketed – see the website www.gingerandspicefest.co.uk
Other events include: Thursday, September 22: Live comedy with stand-up comedian Anuvab Pal at Festival Drayton at 7.30pm. His show will begin with the British Empire in India but go into what connects Britain and India today – especially the food – and will include the links between Market Drayton, Shropshire
and Robert Clive.
Tickets are £ 15 per person and are available online via a link from the Ginger & Spice Festival website www. gingerandspicefest.co.uk or directly via the Festival Drayton website: https://bit.ly/3bprmy4
Friday September 23: French Film Night, at Festival Drayton hosted by the Market Drayton Twinning Association (ticketed) at 7.30pm.