An event celebrating food and drink is expected to draw thousands of people next weekend.

Newmarket Food and Drink Festival, which kicks off on September 11, will feature live cookery demonstrations by celebrity chefs Rosemary Shrager and Tristan Welch, who are both currently appearing in ITV’s Cooking with the Stars.

Bury Mercury: Tristan Welch on the main stage at Newmarket Food and Drink Festival 2019.Tristan Welch on the main stage at Newmarket Food and Drink Festival 2019. (Image: Newmarket Food and Drink Festival)

The free, family event is a celebration of local and regional food and drink, held at its new location the Jockey Club Rooms.

It will give more than 50 producers the chance to showcase their products, such as freshly-prepared street food and artisan grocery goods.

There will also be live entertainment with performances from a host of local bands and musicians including The Hooligans and Flaming June.

Bury Mercury: Live music will feature at the event.Live music will feature at the event. (Image: Newmarket Food and Drink Festival)

In the live Cookery Theatre, supported by wine merchants Corney & Barrow, celebrity chefs will take to the stage alongside some of the region’s top chefs to showcase their favourite dishes.

BBC Radio Cambridgeshire presenter Chris Mann is compering there, while The Wine Tipster, Neil Phillips, offers his expert advice on wine pairings for each dish prepared on stage.

Bury Mercury: Newmarket Food and Drink Festival is expected to attract thousands of people over the two days.Newmarket Food and Drink Festival is expected to attract thousands of people over the two days. (Image: Newmarket Food and Drink Festival)

Visitors can also enjoy the alfresco dining area and a selection of bars selling prosecco, cocktails or beers.

For the first time this year, visitors can buy a reusable branded Newmarket Food and Drink Festival pint. The glasses are £3 each and are available from the on-site bars.

Anthony Gardiner from G’s Fresh, one of the event sponsors, said: “The festival makes a welcome return post Covid and is a great opportunity to highlight the healthy fresh produce grown in the East Anglia Fens to our friends and neighbours.”

Bury Mercury: Mark Abbott, head chef of the Michelin Starred Midsummer House in Cambridge.Mark Abbott, head chef of the Michelin Starred Midsummer House in Cambridge. (Image: Newmarket Food and Drink Festival)

Top regional chefs set to demonstrate their favourite dishes include:

  • Mark Abbott, head chef of Midsummer House in Cambridge, one of only 11 restaurants in the UK and Ireland to hold two Michelin Stars;
  • Adam Spicer, head chef at All Saints Hotel near Bury St Edmunds;
  • Steve Angier, head chef at The Packhorse Inn at Moulton;
  • Mark Elvin, head chef at the Elveden Estate;
  • Daniel Perjesi, head chef at the Jockey Club Rooms.

The event is also sponsored by Newmarket BID - Love Newmarket - and Corney & Barrow.

The festival raises money that goes towards the local charities supported by the Henry Cecil Open Weekend.

It runs from 10am to 5pm on the Saturday and 10am to 4pm on the Sunday.

For more information about the event see the website.