Eat:Christmas back on after temporarily being cancelled – so who is going to be there?
Eat:Christmas will be in Weston-super-Mare this weekend. Picture: Jean-Philippe Baudey - Credit: Jean-Philippe Baudey
The eat:Festivals organisers are over the moon to be able to put on their first festive food event after relocating to the Sovereign Centre.
Gingerbeards Preserves will be at eat:Christmas. Picture: Jean-Philippe Baudey - Credit: Jean-Philippe Baudey
Eat:Christmas was temporarily cancelled on Wednesday after weather forecasts showed strong winds which would have made it too dangerous to host the event.
But thankfully the organisers worked around the clock yesterday (Thursday) to ensure it could go ahead as planned.
The festival will now be located in the Sovereign Shopping Centre instead of the previously planned Italian Gardens.
The vacant units next to Marks & Spencer and the former Poundland will house artisan food and drink stalls with the food court becoming a flurry of hot food stalls.
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Co-organiser Bev said: “The weather outside is frightful, but luckily the eat:Festivals family is a creative lot.
“Instead of cancelling we have worked speedily to relocate so everyone can be warm and toasty inside.
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“We are grateful to North Somerset Council, Weston BID and the Sovereign Shopping Centre for helping us not spoil Christmas and look forward to a deliciously festive treat on Saturday.
“We have a great line-up of producers, including a few gifts, too.
Weston Brass. - Credit: sub
“It is just before Christmas, so, if you are looking for a great way to get together with friends and family, arrange to meet at the festival, and there will be something to suit everyone’s palate.
“The big man himself will be arriving in style, but we are keeping that one under our hats.”
There will also be sea-shanties from The Steepholmers, as well
as face painting, balloon modellers, performances from Renewal gospel choir and Weston Brass Band.
Renewal will be performing at eat:Christmas. - Credit: sub
North Somerset Council leader Nigel Ashton said:
“We are delighted the eat:Christmas food festival will be able to hold their popular event at the Sovereign Centre this weekend.
“This event, along with the variety of shopping opportunities at the centre, will offer a warm and welcoming place to pick up some fantastic gifts, on the penultimate Saturday before the festive season starts.”
The team is encouraging people to make a day of it and visit some of the hundreds of independent and chain shops, cafés and restaurants in the town.
Town centre manager Steve Townsend, of Weston BID, said: “We are proud to be working with the eat:Festival’s team, the Sovereign Shopping Centre and North Somerset Council to ensure this great, and much anticipated event takes place – it really is a case of the show must go on.
“We had to cancel the farmers’ market last week due to the weather, so it’s brilliant our local traders are able to bring their goods to market.
“I also think it’s fantastic we can bring another dimension to the Sovereign Shopping Centre and showcase what could be achieved consistently in the future.”
Head over to the Sovereign Centre and browse for some delicious festive treats from 9am to 4pm on Saturday.
