The Essex food and drink festival with live music and free food tasting

A food and drink festival which attracts thousands of people to Billericay with more than 50 stands is set to return this summer. The Billericay Food and Drink Festival is back for a third year on July 23 this year. The popular event, hosted at Billericay Town Football Club, follows on from last year's successful event which, despite taking place on the hottest day of the year, saw thousands attend.

This year's event is back and organisers say it is "bigger than ever" with more stands, more local entertainment and more freebies. The stands will provide both food and drink with traditional festival food like burgers complements by cheese, wine, gin, prosecco, seafood, luxury hampers and more. Free tastings, demonstrations, a hog roast and live entertainment will also be available on-site.

Organisers Abby and Jodi Knight were inspired to launch the event having noticed the amount of local food and drink pop ups and innovative businesses that developed during the pandemic serving the local community with organisers. They saw a real opportunity to showcase all the local talent under one roof. With around 1500 visitors enjoying the sunshine last summer, this year you can discover a world of locally sourced and produced food and drink plus meet the people behind some of our favourite eateries and local brands.

The more than 50 stands include Field Of Cheese, Andrews Caribbean Catering, The Phoenix Smokery, Wrapstars Mexican tacos and wraps, David's Kitchen, Taste of Naples Pizza and Giggly Pig Hog Roast and sausages. Outside entertaining ideas come from Extra Events Essex and Sisters with Sparkle igloo hire. Lava Spirts, The Only Way is Gin, Tipsy Grey, The Roasted Martini and Billericay Brewing Company are just a few of the many drink companies at the event, there will also be cocktails and prosecco to enjoy on the day.

Entertainment on the day will include a popular Essex Blues band, an exhibition of local artist David Mahoney, face painter and a charity football match organised by Stanton Hockett supporting Prostate UK with half time entertainment from cheerleaders The Tilbury Majorettes. The Billericay Food & Drink Festival runs from 11am to 5pm at the Billericay Football Club, Blunts Wall Road, Billericay CM12 9SA. Tickets cost GBP5 or GBP4.50 in advance.

References

1. ^ Colchester Zoo welcomes new cheetah who travelled 950 miles from Austria (www.essexlive.news)