The event, which kicks off Dorset Food & Drink Week, combines the county's best food and drink producers with hands on cookery demonstrations.

Organiser Jenny Brown told Taste: “Local producers and The Dorset Farmers' Market will help us to celebrate great taste, with an emphasis on locally sourced sustainable produce, there are tastings a plenty, fun and the festival kick starts The Dorset Food & Drink Week.”

Activities are located throughout the town, in Willow Walk, The Square, Minster Green, Mill Lane, the Corn Market and for the first time ever in the car park of the Rising Sun at East Street.

There are stalls and activities for all the family, including a children’s competition and children’s rides, a Nef demonstration area provided by Dacombe of Wimborne, and there is also the chance to win a Mercedes car for the weekend courtesy of Sandown Mercedes Benz.

Katharine Wright, Dorset Food & Drink co-ordinator said: "It's about bringing a fantastic selection of local food and drink to the town of Wimborne both to help with the local economy and across Dorset. It's the second year we have been involved with this event."

Ian Faulkner, chairman of the BID, one of the festival sponsors, said: “This is a lively and successful festival attracting local and tourist visitors in their droves, and this year it's promising to be bigger and better and ever.”

The Anonymous Travelling Market (theatm.co.uk) is also supporting the festival for the second year running with approximately 40 stalls, live music all day and entertainment on Willow Walk.

"It's all about celebrating local food and creativity, bringing the community together and having a jolly old knees up at the same time," says Emma House.

Co-founder Rae Stormonth-Darling, adds: "Work has got to be made fun and if we can bring an all singing, all dancing, quirky roadshow to a town then it brings a greater footfall to the town centre and shows off what's on offer."

The Wimborne Food & Drink Festival is a free event on Saturday October 24 from 10am to 4pm and includes storytelling and fair rides on Willow Walk plus live music from The Darwins, Murphy's Lore, Gunville Flats and Howling at the Moon. For more information, visit http://www.foodevents4u.co.uk/