THE organisers of the Whitchurch Food and Drink Festival are asking businesses in the area to create window displays in the run-up to the festival, to boost community engagement and build momentum for the event.

The festival, which is this weekend, will be holding its annual Producer Awards, which exhibitors and local food businesses are being encouraged to enter.

Categories include jams and preserves, cheese, savoury bakery, chutneys and alcoholic beverages.

The festival is also hosting a Celebration Cake Competition to be judged by a panel of food experts including a judge from Belton Cheese. The theme for the cake competition is ‘Whitchurch Bake Off’. The competition is free to enter, there can only be one entry per person, and it is open to both adults and children.

Shropshire Festivals are involved in the organisation of the event. Owner, Beth Heath, said: “This festival is all about the local community. From getting local businesses engaged in the run up to the event, to the producer awards which celebrate the wonderful produce made here in Shropshire. We hope everyone enjoys this fantastic local event.”

The Whitchurch Food and Drink Festival is to be held at the Whitchurch Civic Centre on May 18/19 and is free to attend. There will be around 80 stalls packed full of local food and drink produce, including cakes, fudge, jams, chutneys, milkshakes and hand-whipped ice cream. There will be an outdoor food court area, street food vendors selling delicious treats and a cookery demonstrations theatre, where local chefs will show off their skills. There will also be lots of fun activities for children to join in with, meaning it will be a great day out for the whole family.