IN PICTURES: Food festival entices thousands of visitors to Weston

Gourmet Confectioner Janet Thompson with her 'Grown Up Marshmallows'. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

The organisers welcomed thousands of people to the Italian Gardens to sample delicious locally-sourced food and drinks.

Conditions were perfect for the 80 producers who set up their stalls in the town centre and more than 20,000 people were drawn to Weston for the event.

Lemonade, scotch eggs, prime cuts of meat and cheese were on sale to the public.

There were also plenty of street food stalls dishing up meals from around the world.

Ginger Beard's Preserves, Harry Calvert serving a customer. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Inside the Sovereign Shopping Centre, people could design and print their own tote bags or take part in some cooking classes.

Once again, the festival was 100 per cent free of any single use plastic and all meals were served in recyclable containers.

Andy Rock, spiced fruit juice and ciders, Herby 4. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Robert Hawker Venison. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

The Cocktail Kings at work. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Eat:Weston in the Italian Gardens. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Drumming workshop at Eat:Weston. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Drumming workshop at Eat:Weston. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

A taste of World Food at Eat:Weston. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Ryan Bolton at his Big Bakes Bakery. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

XocolaT with handmade Belgian chocolate. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Lee Langridge with a new sauce for the festival called Chimera Dragon, from The Wicked Chilli. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

The Mighty Soft Shell Crab at Eat:Weston. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Joe Heley from Exmoor Cider. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

The Somerset Deli at Eat: Weston. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

The Somerset Deli at Eat: Weston. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

From Nature UK, Martine Ashe with her range of vegan foods. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

India in a Jar by Chef Collin Pereira. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Eat:Weston in the Italian Gardens. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Eat:Weston in the Italian Gardens. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

DJ Tom Court providing the sound track for the festival. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Serious Steak Sandwiches at Eat:Weston. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Blue Fire Caribbean Food at Eat:Weston. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Mark Davey and Dave Turner from Pitchfork Ales. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Eat:Weston in the Italian Gardens. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Eat:Weston in the Italian Gardens. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Eat:Weston in the Italian Gardens. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Love at Eat:Weston in the Italian Gardens. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Francine Lee owner of Bumblees Preserves. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Times Past Cheese Dairy. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Eat:Weston in the Italian Gardens. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Rob Solani from the Garlic Farm. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Riverford Organic at Eat: Weston. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)