Chairman of Norfolk Food Festival Richard Woolliams, getting on his bike to publicise the forthcoming festival at the Royal Norfolk Showground, Costessey. Photo: Steve Adams

Grab your bike and get yourself along to the Norfolk Showground this weekend. The Taste the Best of Norfolk Food and Drink Festival on Sunday will see a host of local producers setting up their stalls to help mark the end of the Tour of Britain’s Norfolk leg, as Victoria Leggett reports.

It’s hungry work watching a load of professional cyclists speeding their way past you as they compete to win the Norfolk leg of the Tour of Britain.

So what better way to enjoy it than with a basket full of great local food and drink to take home for dinner that evening – and maybe the odd snack to keep you going on the day?

The Taste the Best of Norfolk Food and Drink Festival this Sunday will bring a feast of 50 local producers to the Norfolk Showground to showcase their wares while a family fun day keeps everyone busy during the build-up to the race’s arrival.

The event is one of a number of new additions to this year’s EDP Adnams Norfolk Food and Drink Festival, in association with Norfolk County Council.

Coinciding with the exciting final stretch of the Tour of Britain’s Norfolk leg, it aims to keep both cycling and food lovers happy throughout the day.

Organisers are hoping to recreate the mouth-watering buzz of the Royal Norfolk Show’s food court, with much more besides.

Richard Woolliams, Norfolk Food and Drink Festival chairman, says: “After working as a steward in the food hall at the Royal Norfolk Show, I have long wanted to establish an event for the festival on a scale that provides a showcase for the many truly Norfolk food and drink producers.”

The event is free to enter and has a packed programme aimed at all members of the family.

A producers’ fair inside the exhibition hall is set to include about 50 stalls – including Samphire, Little Melton Yoghurt, The Norfolk Honey Company, Norfolk Natterjacks and Great Grove Poultry – while a food court outside will feature a selection of concession stalls selling hot and cold food to enjoy before, after and during the Tour’s arrival at 2.44pm.

An Adnams pub will allow you to buy a refreshing pint to drink while you watch cooking demonstrations from the food festival’s four enthusiastic patrons, Chris Coubrough, Vanessa Scott, Galton Blackiston and Richard Hughes.

And Chris Coubrough and Arthur Howell’s Marvellous Sausage Making Factory will see children competing to make the best banger – with the help of the celebrity chef and popular Norfolk butcher.

Easton College and the Norfolk Young Farmers will be on hand to teach youngsters about the food chain, a lucky dip will give visitors a chance to get a Norfolk dining experience for a fraction of the cost, and the Institute of Food Research will amaze with their Olympic-themed activities. Clare Millar, festival co-ordinator, says: “You don’t have to be seriously into cycling to get caught up in what’s going on. There really is something for everyone.”

Linking the food festival and Tour of Britain will be a Food and Farming Trail aimed at encouraging youngsters to find out more about Norfolk’s plentiful food and drink story.

Festival chairman Richard says it will take in the whole Tour site and exhibition hall.

He adds: “There will be prizes, from Orchard Toys, to be won as children and adults who wish to take part have to seek out food and farming cartoon characters positioned around the site.”

The Taste the Best of Norfolk Food and Drink Festival, part of the Norfolk Food and Drink Festival’s Norwich weekend, takes place from 11am to 4pm on Sunday. For more information visit www.norfolkfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk

To head back to our Norfolk Food Festival 2012 page, see the link at the top-right of this page.