Narberth Food Festival once again proved it is a recipe for success, with thousands of visitors enjoyed a giant helping of festival flavour at the weekend.

The festival offered a tasty mix of 50 food and drink stalls, live music acts and a programme of chef’s demonstrations, talks and tastings.

Speakers highlighted the benefits of fostering a ‘sense of place’ while creating flavourful dishes and drinks, and the need to protect and learn from past Welsh food heritage and culture.

Recurring themes this year included tips on sourcing and using local ingredients and also the importance of sustainability and protection of the environment while conducting food related activities.

The festival, which celebrates its 25th year next year, is organised by local volunteers and includes an education day for pupils from local schools the day before the festival opens to the public.

Organisers have thanked guests, performers, stallholders, volunteers and all those working behind the scenes to make the festival a success. This includes Valero Volunteers coordinator An Rigden and family, who worked on site, and Narberth and Whitland Rotary who helped manage the car parking.

Guests appearing at the festival this year included: festival patron Angela Gray; Jonathan Williams and the team from the Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company; Michael Inker of The Angel, Narberth; Pembrokeshire based chef Orsola Muscia; distillery founder James Harrison-Allen, of Still Wild, Pembrokeshire; author and Welsh food expert Carwyn Graves; Michelle Evans of Paternoster Farm, near Pembroke; chef and author Sam Cooper; and Jemma Vickers and Paul Rolt, of Hebron Vineyard.

Musicians appearing included Rona Mac, Shanty Le Hara, Caroline Harrison, Tomos Newman, Jack Daw, Bluebox, BoxSet, Fiddlebox, Côr Dysgwyr Sir Benfro, Carmarthen Ukuleles and Tywi Tune Club.

Colin Russell, chairman of Narberth Food Festival committee, said:

“This has been an absolutely fantastic festival once again with a wonderful Saturday with thousands of people through the gate, despite the weather forecasts, and the cover on site ensured Sunday’s weather was not an issue.

“It has been great to see Welsh and local produce enjoyed by so many people, some of whom return year after year to buy from favourite producers and to find out what is new.”