A HAMPSHIRE town will be bursting with local produce next month when the annual Food Festival takes over the streets,

More than 60 stalls full of Hampshire food and drink will be showcased on September 3, including more than 25 Hampshire Farmers’ Market members in Alma Road selling everything from bread to beer.

There will also be plenty of seasonal produce to peruse, including meat from Newhouse Venison and Hampshire Game.

Plus shoppers can take their pick from the best fruit and vegetables from Berry Hill Nursery and DGJ Tanner.

And gin lovers will also be able to sample a taste of some of Hampshire’s best gins as the Winchester Distillery and Silent Pool Distillery will both be at Alma Road on the day.

Alex Handford, business manager at Hampshire Farmers’ Market (HFM) said: “Hampshire Farmers’ Markets have been coming to Romsey for the last 17 years and we attract over 3,500 visitors each month who love to buy local produce from the county’s producers. Being incorporated into the Romsey Food Festival has been a great success, not just for our members at market, but for businesses in the town itself.”

New for this year, HFM will be welcoming executive chef at The Season Cookery School Andy MacKenzie who is running three cookery workshops on the day at 10.30am, 11.30am and 12.30pm. He will demonstrate the method and then three lots of two people will replicate the dish in 30 minutes. The first workshop will be pre-booked but any members of the public at the market can take part in the other workshops. There will also be a chance to win a masterclass at The Season Cookery School at Lainston House, near Winchester.

All that cooking and shopping will no doubt make visitors peckish, and HFM has that covered too as New House Venison as well as Broughton Water Buffalo will be serving delicious hot food at their stalls.

Together Romsey Food Festival and HFM have enough to keep everyone entertained for the day. For a full list of Hampshire Farmers’ Markets producers who will be at the festival visit and more information visit www.hampshirefarmersmarkets.co.uk