Tens of thousands attend Christchurch Food Festival 2022

TENS of thousands of people attended last weekend's jubilee-themed Christchurch Food Festival, blessed with glorious sunshine and celebrity chefs.

More than 120 food and drink traders set up on The Quomps for the four-day affair.

Highlights included the chef's kitchen featuring The Pig's James Golding and baking genius Richard Bertinet, a big screen featuring the BBC's platinum jubilee coverage and DJ sets on the bandstand.

Organiser Philip Lowery said he was delighted with this year's "huge turnout".

"We're also really happy that after a few lean years, the festival did well enough this time around to make a significant contribution to the Christchurch Food Festival Education Trust," he said.

"Without the support of our sponsors, Shorefields Holidays, the Captain's Club Hotel, Maple from Canada and Volvo & Audi Poole, it would be very difficult to make this happen, so a big thanks to them.

"Next year we are back to three days and the festival will run from 27th-29th May – we hope to see everyone there!"

Christchurch Food Festival is organised jointly by Real Food Festivals, World of Events and Lymington-based Onyx Events.

Any profits made at the event go to Christchurch Food Festival Education Trust, which runs cookery courses in local schools in a drive to promote healthy eating.