SPRINGTIME is blooming at Presteigne on bank holiday Monday, May 6, for the town’s second annual Food and Flowers Festival.

It is organised by the town’s business network Presteigne Connect so there is free entry with events taking place between 10am to 4pm, with plenty of parking and entertainments, demonstrations and workshops for all ages.

“We are hoping for another sunny and successful day this year, so please come and join us for a wonderful outing that will be as fun for children as it is for adults,” said Leon Abecasis, owner of the Salty Dog greengrocer and chair of Presteigne Connect.

The sun shone on streets lined with stalls at last year’s first event with buskers filling the town with music, hot meals available all day in the food court, and families enjoyed a rolling programme of entertainments.

Stalls will showcase the wide variety of local food and drink producers in the area.

Hot food will be available all day in the food court close to St Andrew’s Church, where you will be welcome to picnic on the grass and enjoy music from local buskers and choirs. Polish Pierogi, sausages and burgers made from local organic mutton and lamb, pizzas from a wood fired oven, Indian, vegetarian and vegan food will all be on offer.

Visitors will be able to stock up on fantastic plants for their own gardens and visit hidden town gardens, not usually open to the public.

Garden owners in and around town threw open their gates to visitors and raised nearly £2,000 in donations for St Michael’s Hospice last year.

This year About Face Theatre will also be at some of the open gardens between 2 and 5pm with a collection of five plays inspired by historical stories of Herefordshire beautifully presented with actors and puppets in magical spaces.

Head for the Old Rectory in Broad Street for ‘Good Old Fashioned Fun’ in the garden between 10am and 4pm.

There will be free craft activities for children, a treasure hunt with a food and flower twist, welly wanging and sack races, face painting, plus vintage cars to climb in. All monies raised will go to community groups or charities including the local Food Bank.

The main Floral Exhibition will be open between 10am and 5pm at St Andrew’s Church, decorated with the help of Young Farmers, the WI and the Presteigne and Borders Floral Art Society.

The WI will be making Table Centre arrangements to sell in the church porch, and there will be teas and coffees served, a large homemade cake stall and plant stall, with all proceeds to church funds.

Jo from Rooted Forest School will lead natural art and craft activities under cover for all ages in the Forest School between 10am and 1pm in the Church Yard.

There is also fun for all ages in the Meet the Pollinators event between 12 and 4pm in the Church Yard and see the world from the point of view of bees, hoverflies, beetles, butterflies, or wasps.

Richard Pitts will give a talk on the Local Pound versus Supermarket Pound, Spot the Difference, at 11am at the Assembly Rooms, followed by modern herbalist Rowan McOnegal on Herbal Medicine at noon.

The Church Hall will have a Chocolate making demonstration at 10.30am, and Cooking with Beer at 11.30am.

Pete Smith will be providing a Blackmithing demonstration in the Church Yard between 10am and 4pm; and Carrie Ede will be making hand tied country garden bouquets at the Assembly Rooms between 2 and 3pm.

Other workshops will include Make a Floral Crown at 11.30am at the Assembly Room; and Make a Willow Plant Support at 2pm in the Church Yard.

There is a Foraging Walk for families from 2pm from the Church Hall with Adele Mozedar, author of ‘Foraging with Kids’ and ‘The Hedgerow Handbook’.

Visit the website for full programme and details: https://www.presteigneconnect.co.uk/